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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27775126">First Time For Everything</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/arieldreemurr/pseuds/arieldreemurr'>arieldreemurr</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Little Witch Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asexual Character, Autism Spectrum, Bisexual Female Character, Disaster Lesbians, F/F, Labor Unions, Magical Workers, Nonbinary Character, Pride, Trans Akko Kagari, Trans Croix Meridies, Trans Diana Cavendish, Trans Female Character, Trans Het Character, Trans Lesbian Character, disaster bi, luna nova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:01:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>53,776</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27775126</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/arieldreemurr/pseuds/arieldreemurr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after the missle crisis, Croix Meridies launches her most audacious plan yet: cheer up the students by organizing Luna Nova's first Pride event.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank Albrechtsberger/Sucy Manbavaran, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Hannah England/Barbara Parker, Kimberly/Wangari (Little Witch Academia), Ursula Callistis | Chariot du Nord/Croix Meridies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>110</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Dance With Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Content Warning: This chapter contains references to Transphobia and particularly British TERF rhetoric.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There's strife in the magical community. Akko and Diana reflect on how they got here. The wives have an idea.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The scarred moon shined brilliantly over Luna Nova Magical Academy, illuminating the gothic architecture and it's surrounding countryside and forest with the deep blue and green hue common for this time of year. <br/>Above the trees, peeking over towards the academy, was a steep grassy hill, of which two girls lay atop, long damp grass reaching past their ears, but hardly to their notice, hands locked together, watching the nightsky with awe. <br/>"Can you believe how recently the wound was made?" asked Diana, pointing up to the moon with her free hand, her other firmly intwined with Akko's. "It's like it's been there since the dawn of the universe. But on the contrary, it's younger than us. It's birth ceremony... wasn't long after ours."<br/>"Our birth ceremony..." whispered Akko. "Our scars match, if you think about it. Well, if you even want to think of it as a scar..."<br/>"It is quite beautiful..." mumbled Diana, remembering how they had got here, and how causality had placed them along the path they walked now. "We can attribute that to someone special."<br/>"And ourselves," reminded Akko. "That's when you knew, wasn't it? I know it's when I did."<br/>"Something like that..." <br/>The two lay in silence for some time, continuing to watch the moon and stars. Diana, before she could even process her emotions, felt a growing damp spot around her eyes, as she continued to stare. It wasn't rain, or the grass. She sniffed, and let out a quiet whimper. <br/>Akko slowly turned her head. "Diana..."<br/>"Are we broken, Akko...?" asked an increasingly distressed, shaking Diana, through tears. <br/>Akko rubbed her girlfriend's lovely smooth face, like she enjoyed. "Maybe. But we are the way we are together. You're perfect. I love you." <br/>"I- I- I... can't... b-be... I- I- never c-could..." Her speech fragmented and thought process muddled, all she could do was sob as Akko held her tight, gently patting her back, the two still as one.<br/>Diana continued to sob into Akko's soft, cushiony mop of hair, as the other girl allowed her to do. It was a regular occurrence, and Akko hardly minded. She had allowed her hair to grow over the last few years, whilst Diana to the contrary had begun to cut her's, those luscious white and green waves falling only to ear length. Akko loved it.<br/>"I don't... I don't want to let go..." choked Diana, holding tight.<br/>"And you'll never have to..." assured Akko. "What's wrong, then? You can tell me. Did I say something stupid again?"<br/>Diana, releasing Akko, wiped away her tears with her sleeve and seemed to giggle, albeit in between being choked-up. "No... not you. Never you, silly."<br/>Akko breathed a sigh of relief. She was always afraid of accidentally hurting or offending Diana with her clumsy words and actions. Diana had told her to stop being so paranoid, but those thoughts still lingered at the back of Akko's mind. <br/>Diana slowly brought herself to her feet, and reached towards the cosmos. Under this pall of darkness, the moonlight comforted her. Akko pushed herself up, ignoring the pins and needles in her legs, and stood with her. Diana might never have understood why Akko was so fond of her, after how unpleasantly she had treated her in that first year, but she didn't want to think about it. They were different people now. <br/>But thinking about it had elicited a tangential subject.<br/>"How long has it been now...?" Diana asked.<br/>"Hm...?"<br/>"How long... since the missle crisis? How long... since we stood on the edge of the earth...?"<br/>"Three years... I think..." Akko responded slowly, tapping her brow.<br/>"That long... wow..." <br/>Hand in hand, together as equals, that was the moment. That was the moment Diana knew that she had fallen in love. Akko knew it too. Releasing the arrow had consummated this, leaving no lingering doubt in the minds of both girls. Shiny Rod had faded away, it's purpose fulfilled, allowing something else to grow - within the world, and within them.<br/>Akko turned and smiled at her, once again clasping her hands, sending an immense feeling of warmth through Diana.<br/>"We were taught to be so ashamed..." whispered Diana, reflecting on her life. "But... you had it so much worse than I did. And I... I... contributed to that."<br/>Akko held her tighter, maintaining her goofy grin. "It's alright. We internalise a lot of awful things when we're young. We've grown beyond that. I know I'm a real witch, and a real..."<br/>"... yeah." Diana interrupted. "We both are." <br/>"Witches and wizards and spellcasters," Akko mused, before once again smiling. "There are more of us now than ever before!" Releasing Diana, she spun happily, throwing her arms up. Diana smiled at her everlasting childlike enthusiasm. "We're free! We're past the bad times!" <br/>Akko offered her hand to Diana. "Would you like to dance with me under the moonlight, my love?" <br/>Diana slowly, cautiously took her hand. "Uh... sure." They had danced together before, even at public events, much to the ridicule of some. They were terrible at it. And she wouldn't have it any other way.<br/>Akko twirled as Diana clumsily tried to hold on to her waist, and ended up having to retract after losing her grip.<br/>"Come on! Your turn!" Akko was enthused with the moment, as always. <br/>Diana nervously leaned towards Akko and lowered her back with her left arm, holding her arm with her right, leaning over her, in what she supposed was meant to invoke a classic ballroom position, if either of them were even remotely competant. It seemed to be going well, until the dampness of their "dancefloor" caused her to slip and lose her footing, sending the two witches tumbling down into the wet grass. <br/>"Oh no, I'm so sorry..." panicked Diana, pushing herself up, her uniform and hands now stained with mud, as she rushed over to Akko. <br/>Akko was alright, of course. She lay in the grass, laughing hysterically. "I love you so much!" she re-iterated, causing Diana's concern to turn to amusement. <br/>"We really are both just the biggest idiots, aren't we...?" Diana asked, mostly playfully.<br/>"Absolutely," giggled Akko, as it began to rain.<br/>Oh dear.<br/>Diana rushed to Akko and pulled her up, trying to be gentle but mostly failing due to the urgency. <br/>"We are NOT getting caught in the rain again!' announced Diana.<br/>"It's a long walk back, Diana!"<br/>"I already dealt with that!" Diana held out her hand towards Luna Nova, and yelled, at the maximum volume her lungs would allow "Tia Freyre!!!"<br/>Akko watched as the trees began to rustle, the disturbance becoming closer and closer until- <br/>"Gotcha!" Diana's hand closed firmly around her broom, a look of absolute satisfaction on her face. Akko had never seen a broom summoned from so far away before. Diana was once again exceeding all limits. <br/>Diana jumped onto the broom, holding out her hand to Akko. "Hop on!"<br/>Akko took the hand. Nothing but warmth. Even in the pouring rain.<br/>Diana and Akko smiled. They wouldn't have it any other way.<br/><br/>Hannah was once again irritated with the downgrade that they had recieved ever since Diana had been radicalised by Kagari. They used to have such a spacious, comfortable room, but now... they had moved to the standard dorms. As she was trying to sleep, Barbara had been at her desk reading something on her laptop, but Hannah cared very little, for the window had been smashed in and Diana's broom had gone missing. Again. Lucky for them, Barbara was specialising in repair magic, and so every time this had happened, it was minimal effort to restore. <br/>"Are you quite done yet, Barbara?" she whined, tossing and turning in the bottom bunk. "You know I can't sleep when others are up and DOING THINGS." <br/>"I'm busy," replied Barbara, cordially, not even turning to look at her. She was still reading... something, with the bright glare of the laptop hurting Hannah's head.<br/>Hannah moaned and rolled to her side, pulling her pillow over her head in an effort to block everything out. <br/>The door swung open, and in walked a muddied, soggy Diana, holding her broom.<br/>Hannah got out of bed, furious. "Diana! What the hell were you doing?!" <br/>"Practising my... flying..." Diana managed weakly, placing her broom on the rack with the others.<br/>"Yeah, I bet you were..." came Barbara's voice. <br/>Diana was not a good liar. She could rarely bear to do such. "Ok, fine. I was with Akko."<br/>"GODDAMN KAGARI!!!" yelled Hannah, throwing herself back into bed and crawling under the covers.<br/>"What's wrong with <em>her</em>?" Diana asked Barbara. <br/>"What do you think, Diana? She's having a rough night. I'm up on my laptop, and she's still pissed about the room."<br/>"The Unions deserve extra space far more than we do and that is non-negotiable!" protested Diana, putting her foot down.<br/>"Alright, Karla..." muttered Barbara, before changing the subject. "Have you read this?" <br/>Diana peaked at Barbara's laptop, open on witch.net. Suddenly, upon realising what she was seeing, the pit in her stomach that had been there since the publishing of that accursed article three days ago had returned. Akko didn't need to know why she had been so upset. She could guarantee that it would send her girlfriend over the edge, and it would be justified. <br/>"Why are you reading this garbage...?" whispered the horrified Diana.<br/>"I wanted to see what was so bad about it. I... can see exactly that."<br/>The article, titled "Preserving The Integrity of Witches" authored by the one and only Anne Finnelan, was an 11,000 word screed about the "decline of our once great art." It was, of course, ridiculous. Magic in the world had increased tenfold since the missle crisis, with many more taking up the craft, making the world undoubtedly a better place. The essay served essentially as an old woman's gatekeeping ramblings about how "anyone can call themselves a witch nowadays" and how that was somehow a bad thing. Unfortunately, Finnelan was highly respected, and her opinion held a lot of sway, especially here in Britain. It was no secret that she despised wizards and spellcasters, and unfortunately, that opinion had been common enough in the country to set back progress towards more integrated magic schools. This was enough to greatly upset Diana, but that wasn't even the worst part. Finnelan was a vocal opponent of Miranda Holbrooke's progressive policies towards LGBT+ students. Specifically, the acceptance of trans witches. "Male bodies" she had written "simply cannot be witches, and pose a threat to real witches." And then the predictable bathroom rants, debunked studies, worthless anecdotes, and willful ignorance. The magic press, especially in Britain, seemed to parrot her rhetoric, and Diana was terrified of how many members of the magic community would believe these lies. <br/>"Hey... Diana... are you... ok...?" asked Barbara, slowly, as Diana stood, eyes glued to the words, teeth clenched, and her hands curling into fists.<br/>"Diana...?"<br/>She made a run for the bathroom and slammed the door shut, locking it and even reinforcing the lock with a spell that would prevent anyone outside from hearing anything.<br/>Diana looked in the mirror and sobbed uncontrollably, the tears streaming down her flushed face. She couldn't stop thinking about it. She couldn't. She screamed at the top of her lungs and collapsed down to the floor, her back to the door, as she continued to cry. It didn't matter what she did. It wasn't enough for them. It wasn't enough to just... be who she was.<br/>Diana continued to cry as she thought about Akko, who had been subject to this since day one. And because of Diana's desire to assimilate, she had torn her down at every opportunity. Diana had to be "the good one". She had to prove that she could be taken seriously. And she had punished Akko for her own shitty internalised gatekeeping. <br/>But they were all the same to these ghouls. In their ideal society, there was no room for the Akko Kagari's and Diana Cavendish's of the world. They would simply not be allowed to exist. She knew this. She had always known this. <br/>Despite not being able to hear what was going on in there, the concerned Hannah and Barbara went over to the door. <br/>Diana could hear them, though.<br/>"Hey... Diana..." said Hannah softly. "We're really worried about you. You've been so on edge and upset as of late and..."<br/>"... we want to help you..." continued Barbara. The two had a habit of finishing each-other's sentences. "We're not like you, Diana... we couldn't begin to understand the pain you've been through and must be going through now. But... just know we're right here for you, ok?"<br/>"Yeah..." reinforced Hannah. "We're never gonna leave you." <br/>Diana, hearing this, slowly got to her feet and undid the lock. Coming out of the bathroom, she limped towards her friends and threw her arms around them both, as she continued to cry. <br/>"I'm scared. I'm so scared. I've kept it together for four years but I'm still so scared. I always have been."<br/>"Shh... it's ok..." whispered Barbara softly.<br/>"Yeah..." Hannah again. "But can you please take a shower? You're getting the mud and the Kagari over us."<br/>Diana let go, and gave a small bittersweet laugh. "Yes... I should probably do that..."<br/>"Don't forget to take your meds tonight, either - ok?" reminded Barbara.<br/>"Don't worry..." Diana sighed. "How could I possibly forget...?"<br/><br/>Ursula paced up and down the bottom floor of her room. She was still furious.<br/>She picked up one of the two cups of tea on her desk to try to calm herself, her shaking hands clasped around the searing mug, until she had to put it back down. Too heated. Too recent.<br/>"She can't keep doing this..." she muttered, continuing to pace. "SHE CANNOT KEEP DOING THIS!!!" she yelled in anger.<br/>Croix leaned over the rail on the second floor. "Still thinking about it, babe?"<br/>"What do you think?!" she snapped, before realising her rudeness and regaining composure. "I'm sorry..."<br/>"Don't be." Croix walked down the stairs, and wandered towards her. She had done three years in prison for her... well... activities, and was out on monitored watch to determine if she could be trusted to re-enter society. Her assigned watcher? Chariot, of course. Or Ursula, as the restored redhead preferred to go by full-time now. <br/>"What... are we going to do about this...?" wondered Ursula aloud, her voice once again trembling from frustration. <br/>"What can we really do? I have an urge to go and wreck Finnelan's shit, but we know that's off the table." She smirked, as coy as ever.<br/>"Unfortunately for you..." Urusla said, her lips curving into a small grin at the usual gall of her wife's demeanour, "the latter part of 'be gay, do crime' isn't in your best interest." She smirked a little more. "Not that I would stop you, though."<br/>Croix, smugly satisfied, took at seat at Ursula's desk, and pondered. "Screw Finnelan," she concluded. "We need to do something to elevate those she targets, rather than pay any attention to her."<br/>This was surprisingly sensible of Croix, who as everyone knew wasn't the best at dealing with her problems head-on. <br/>Ursula pulled up the chair next to her, seated herself, and rested her head against her shoulder. "I hate feeling so powerless..."<br/>"I know, babe..." responded Croix, feeling guilty for past events again.<br/>"In any other country, Finnelan's ass would be out of here. This sort of hatred wouldn't be tolerated..."<br/>"... but we're here," continued Croix. "What is it with the British, anyway? I still don't understand why they hate trans people so much."<br/>"They don't," Ursula sighed. "But there's a nasty habit of those in positions of power and influence dominating the discourse, and they sure do." <br/>Ursula was sick to her stomach. Any rebuff to Finnelan, no matter how measured, would result in her being martyred by the press, and that would look very bad for them all. She knew that there would never be any consequences for this, and resigned herself to such. <br/>"It still makes me so mad and upset..." Ursula picked up. "Someone like Akko... how so many view her very existance as a 'debate'. It makes me sick."<br/>"That's why we have to do something positive," re-iterated the shockingly calm Croix. "Something to show them all that we're not afraid. Something to make girls like Akko feel welcome."<br/>"What are you suggesting...?"<br/>Croix smirked. "You already know."<br/>Ursula knew, of course, but could they do it...? Here?<br/><em>Akko</em>...<br/>Suddenly, Ursula ceased to care about the obstacles they would face, and stood up, determined.<br/>"Absolutely. We're going to organise Luna Nova's first Pride event."<br/>Croix smiled in a rare, warm way, withholding any of the creepiness that she delighted in teasing Ursula with. "That's my girl."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Daybreak</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sucy tests her latest masterpiece. Amanda sleeps. Croix goes to war.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content Warning: Transphobia and TERF rhetoric. Also Drugs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun, reaching it's apex, shined through the refurbished diamond windows after the curtains had been pulled back. It was midday, and Sucy loomed over the sleeping Akko, growing increasingly more irritated by her snoring. Again.<br/>"Wake up, Akko," she tried again, poking her face with her wand. "AKKO!!! WAKE UP!!!" <br/>"Diana... I'm so tired... please come back later..." murmured the evidently still dreaming Akko.<br/>"Oh great..." muttered Sucy, as Lotte walked out of the bathroom.<br/>"Is she in the midst of a deep Diana dream again?" asked the latter.<br/>"By the looks of things, yes," was Sucy's observation. "We may have to take... drastic measures." <br/>"Sucy, no!" begged Lotte as Sucy equipped her goggles and prepared the bubbling concoction brewing at her desk, stirring it with a thermometer that was rapidly rising past the limit.<br/>"Sucy, yes!" she cackled. "It's the only way to keep her awake. Unless you would like me to traverse her dreamscape like she did mine all those years ago. I wonder what I might find... I wonder what I might mess with?!" Sucy flashed Lotte her particular brand of toothy grin, often associated with her complete lack of ethical regard.<br/>"Ok! Let's go with the first option! Just wake her up! She's already missed Linguistics!" <br/>Sucy suddenly stopped. "Ah..."<br/>Lotte was confused. "What do you mean 'ah'?" <br/>Sucy explained, because her friend was clearly not in the know. "You know who teaches Linguistics, Lotte. It's probably better that Akko keep away from her for a while... preferably forever."<br/>"You want her to... drop Linguistics?"<br/>"Or let an emboldened TERF abuse my friend?! (And not to mention... most loyal test subject) Absolutely, Lotte. Finnelan is a piece of work who has had it out for Akko since the beginning, and I sensed the searing hatred in that manifesto. She was talking about Akko. Trans witches in general, but YOU KNOW it was specifically aimed at Akko. I'd rather take my chances with Croix. At least she's cool evil. Like me."<br/>"Croix isn't evil..." began Lotte.<br/>"<em>That's</em> what you took from what I just said?!" <br/>"Sorry... It's a lot to think about..."<br/>Sucy obviously had a manic energy to her whenever it came to her work and... experiments, but Lotte had rarely seen her so animated and passionate when talking about other issues. It was a surprise, to be sure, but not necessarily a bad one. Maybe her friend was growing. <br/>"Maybe..." sighed Sucy, "we should let her rest." <br/>Yes... perhaps what Akko needed was space and a good long rest. Sucy finally understood. Why must she be so pushy? She wondered about that herself often. She resolved to leave her friend alone for once.<br/>Akko stirred in her sleep. "Diana... dance with me..."<br/>"Yansson, get the formula," instructed Sucy.<br/>Lotte retrieved a vial of the effervescent purple liquid, wincing as it burned in her hands, and quickly handed it to Sucy, who had placed a plastic cone into Akko's mouth. Sucy then proceeded to pour the contents down the cone, and casually toss the empty vial aside. <br/>As Lotte panicked and retrieved the thankfully not shattered vial, Sucy placed both hands around the cone to keep it steady as the substance entered Akko's system. Satisfied, she removed both it and her goggles, and stepped back to give Akko ample space to awaken from her slumber.<br/>A few minutes passed.<br/>Sucy remained in place, observing Akko like a hawk, with Lotte nervously pacing back and forth.<br/>"Sucy... I think you may have miscal-" <br/>Akko shot up, breathing heavily. "Diana!" she let out.<br/>"No, Akko. It's us," informed Sucy. "Congratulations, you've been the first subject to experience 'Daybreak' (I named it myself, thank you very much) - a potion that keeps the user awake and utterly unneeding sleep for several days. I'm hoping we can make progress for even longer in future."<br/>"That's gonna give me nightmares. Ironically," muttered Lotte.<br/>"Oh no! I overslept again, didn't I?" Akko asked, to which Sucy responded in the affirmative. <br/>"Yes. You missed Linguistics."<br/>"Oh no!" She accidentally banged her head against the top bunk again when attempting to stand. "I've gotta go and explain myself!"<br/>Sucy shifted a little. "Uhh... well... you're actually lucky! Finnelan was sick, so the lesson was called off." <br/><em>Bad lie, Sucy. Bad lie.</em><br/>"Oh thank goodness!" Akko let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Was I talking in my sleep again?"<br/>"Yes." Sucy and Lotte, flat out in unison.<br/>"Oh dear..." <br/>"Don't worry about it," assured Lotte, trying to be kinder than Sucy. "Oh, I gave you your injection at 10AM, like you left the instructions for if you ever... well... that."<br/>"Thank you Lotte!" exclaimed Akko, hugging her as she shifted awkwardly. Akko still had little concept of personal space. To be fair, neither did Sucy.<br/>"That's ok... t-that's what friends are for..." Lotte stuttered as Akko let go.<br/>"Wait... I have Astrology in ten minutes!" Akko realised out loud. "Professor Chario- uh, Ursula will be so upset if I miss it!" <br/>In a flash, Akko was in and out of the bathroom, into her uniform, and out of the dorm room.<br/>Lotte sighed. "I worry about her a lot, Sucy."<br/>"I know... me too, admittedly." Sucy suddenly became irritated. "She never told me that she had switched to injections..." she reflected bitterly.<br/>An incredulous Lotte gestured towards the mess of equipment and liquids on Sucy's desk. "Well, why do you think she chose not to tell you?!"<br/>"Ok, fair. I walked into that one," she admitted, before she became dead-serious. "Lotte. I promise you and Akko, on my soul, that I will never mess with her meds. I'll never use anyone's gender or sexuality in an experiment. That is off-limits. The idea of it sickens me."<br/>"That's good..." agreed Lotte. At least Sucy had some standards, if they ignored the Bee Incident from first year.<br/>Sucy hesitated before imparting the next bit of information, but decided it was worth sharing. "My brother is trans, too. He came out last year."<br/>"Wow..." <br/>"Yeah... so if anyone tries to hurt someone I care about... then I'll... do something..."<br/>Sucy's mood had turned surprisingly somber, much unlike her usual energy, reflected Lotte. She never would have thought. Sucy's best friend and her brother.<br/>Sucy smiled sadly at Lotte, and she smiled back, before the two of them noticed Lotte's Crystal Ball radiating a light green. A notification. <br/>"You know, we can use tablets and laptops much more readily now..." Sucy remarked as Lotte sat at her desk and scrolled through her feed. <br/>"I know... but I have a connection to this old thing. It was mom's, and her mom's. I use my tablet for... other things."<br/>Sucy had a good idea what.<br/>Lotte gazed into the light of her prized family heirloom. "W-wow..." <br/>"What does it say?" asked Sucy. <br/>"It's on the Luna Nova website. You might want to see it for yourself."<br/>Sucy fumbled under her bed for her tablet, and opened up the internet. She couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. "Is this... real?" <br/>On the homepage of the Luna Nova official website was an announcement and small message from Professor Croix.<br/>It read as follows:<br/><em>"Witches, Wizards, and those betwixt and elsewhere,</em><br/><em>It has been an incredibly rough year for the LGBT+ community, of which I am proudly and openly apart of. As you know, after serving my time for Minor Property Damage and Misuse of School Resources, and for my work in undoing the Wagandea curse, I have been immediately reinstated as head of Modern Magic and Technology. Many have reason to not trust my credentials, considering past mistakes, so I will be completely upfront about my latest and greatest scheme: I am organising Luna Nova's first ever Pride event. I'm making some changes around here. Again. No longer will the rigid outdated social mores of Victorian-era ideas that tragically plague much of the magical community have a place here. I will FIGHT to allow every magic user the right to be proud and openly express whatever their gender and orientation without fear of judgement from those who seek to demean us. I myself am a nonbinary woman and some choose find that more offensive than my aformentioned criminal record. Go figure. Headmistress Holbrooke and Professor Callistis have already enthusiastically agreed to support the event. I implore as many enthusiastic and likeminded students to attend and help to set up the event. I can't do it alone, and that would miss the point entirely. </em><br/><em>A believing heart is your magic, </em><br/><em>Sincerely, </em><br/><em>Croix Meridies"</em><br/>Sucy glanced towards Akko's eternal Shiny Chariot poster, now accompanied by a Trans and Bi flag. "Did she really sign off with that quote?"<br/>"You saw what I saw," shrugged Lotte.<br/>The two of them couldn't quite believe what they had just read. This was a risky re-introduction for Croix. She seemed to take much joy in stirring the controversy that she already oozed. Sucy had absolute respect for this, grinning.<br/>"I'm doing this," she said bluntly. <br/>Lotte was taken aback. "Sucy?! I didn't know you were gay!"<br/>Sucy sighed at her naivety. "I'm not. Sort of. Not exactly how you would think. I've told you I'm Ace multiple times."<br/>"And you are ace! You're so smart and cool and... oh... Ace..." Lotte had been spending too much time in England, and was tragically picking up some of the mid-2000s teenage mannerisms, despite now being 20.<br/>"Yeah, Ace. Aspec. Asexual. No-horny. Not interested. Nada. You understand what I mean?"<br/>"Yes, I think so. So... you just don't like anyone?"<br/>Sucy sighed again. "No... that's not what I mean. I'd love to spend my life with someone I can form a connection to. Preferably a lady that shares my... interests. I'm just not interested in... you know..."<br/>"Ah..." Lotte understood now. She thought it was pretty cool.<br/>"What about you? Are you gonna come to Pride?" Sucy asked rather directly, as Lotte jumped out of her skin.<br/>"Uhhh... um... why would I go to P-Pride...?" Oh no. She knew.<br/>"To support your Trans and Ace friends, of course. Also because you're Bi."<br/>"WHA- WHA- WHAT?! Why do you think that?!" Lotte continued to back away until her back was against Sucy's desk, the heat due to the close proximity of the potions making her sweat. At least, maybe it was the heat.<br/>"Your friend from Japan, Lotte?"<br/>She feigned ignorance for as long as she could. "Who? Akko? No!" <br/>"Your OTHER friend from Japan, Lotte. You're always up on your Crystal Ball messaging her. I know you watch her streams too."<br/>"We... have a mutual interest in videogames and Nightfall!" <br/>"I'm sure that's just it," mocked Sucy. <br/>"Ok, fine! You got me! I might have a crush on a girl!" Lotte finally admitted. <br/>"A non-magical girl, too. The traditionalists are gonna be pissed!"<br/>"Damn right they are!" announced Lotte, suddenly much more alive. "I'm gonna marry her someday! She's perfect in every way! She's smart, kind, shares my interests, and is..." she reverted back to her usual awkward demeanour, "...very pretty."<br/>Lotte had done a semester at an international school located in Japan, to research Modern Magic and Technology for extra credit. Sucy knew that she had met someone there; mainly because Lotte couldn't stop talking about her, as well as posting an incredibly gay photograph of the two of them standing together on her social media. It wasn't exactly a secret. <br/>Sucy gave a warm smile, again very much unlike her. "Well, she's a lucky girl, Lotte."<br/>Lotte blushed. "I'm the lucky one!"<br/>"Ok, fine. It's mutual luck."<br/>Lotte laughed a little, and Sucy wasn't above joining in. She was glad her friend was happy. That's what mattered. <br/><br/>The mood in Astrology was tense. Everyone was checking their devices as the loud buzz of the multitude of notifications reverberated around the tower. The only students not doing so were Akko, who was frantically copying down the notes and diagrams from the projection of the cosmos, and Amanda beside her. Who was asleep. Again.<br/>The class began to mutter amongst themselves as Ursula became increasingly nervous in her position. Some of the commotion she heard included:<br/>"... is this for real...?"<br/>"... she's back...?"<br/>"... this is the first time...?"<br/>"... it's actually happening...?"<br/>"... what's does 'betwixt' mean...?"<br/>Oh no. Croix had let <em>everyone</em> know.<br/>Some of the students began to stare at Ursula as beads of sweat began to crawl down her face. Her participation was probably in the announcement. Emergency situation. She would have to use her special ability as a teacher.<br/>"Ok, everyone! Wow, we got through that lesson quick! I'm not going to keep you around - go on and take the rest of the day off!" she said, very quickly.<br/>"Aw, but I'm not finished!" complained Akko.<br/>"Akko, you stay."<br/>"Yay!" <br/>As the students, still with much commotion, filed out of the room, Akko continued to furiously scribble the notes. She would not fall behind. She would not fall behind. She would NOT fall behind! <br/>"Akko?" <br/>Akko looked up. Professor Ursula was waiting at the front desk for her. "Come on over, Akko."<br/><em>Oh my god, I'm doomed.</em><br/>Akko slowly dragged her feet towards the professor's desk. "I'm very sorry for my falling behind, Professor Ursula..."<br/>"What?" scoffed Ursula. "Akko, you've been performing brilliantly! You don't have to worry about any of that."<br/>"Then... uh... why am I in trouble?"<br/>"You're... not...?" Ursula looked up to the still sleeping Amanda. "She sure is, though."<br/>"So..." Akko nervously began. "What's going on?"<br/>"Have you not heard? We're going to be throwing the first Pride event in Luna Nova's history."<br/>"Wow... is that even... a thing that you can do?"<br/>"Yes! I don't see why not. It will turn a few heads, probably, but screw them. You all deserve to feel proud of who you are for once. We know how rough things have been for you." <br/>Akko was very cautious about this. "Who is 'we'?" <br/>"Me and Croix."<br/>"Wait, she's back?!"<br/>Ursula retrieved her Crystal Ball from the desk cabinet, booted it up with a double-tap, and displayed the announcement. "This is actually my first time reading this, too." <br/>The two of them gazed into the ball, and read the rest of the message, a few eyebrows momentarily raised at "minor property damage", before they reached the conclusion.<br/>"I... don't know if I want to go..." admitted Akko.<br/>"Because of Croix?"<br/>"No. Croix is great. It's just... it might make me feel sad."<br/>"I understand. There's no pressure. What matters is that you're comfortable." <br/>Akko looked up towards her mentor and hero. "Thank you for understanding. I really have to think about it for a bit..." And with that, she was off.<br/>Ursula sighed. This was always going to be a sensitive subject for Akko. She hoped that she hadn't read Finnelan's awful manifesto. <br/>Ursula suddenly became aware of just how tired she was, and briefly put her head back and closed her eyes. It was admittedly a lot to think about. Croix was back. That was good. She loved her and her talents were still needed at Luna Nova, despite what had happened in the past. Thanks to her, she was able to fly again, thank goodness. But she was worried. Not so much about Croix or any reservations for a villain relapse, but for Akko. Diana too. She had taught her earlier in the day, and the poor girl still seemed shaken up. She hoped she was doing the right thing.<br/>"So, Pride then?"<br/>Her eyes slammed open. Before her stood Amanda.<br/>"So you're awake, O'Neill?"<br/>"Yeah. And up to date. I read the thing whilst you were dozing."<br/>"You do not get to talk about 'dozing', Amanda."<br/>"Fair..." she admitted, begrudgingly, before returning to the subject at hand. "I think it's really good, and long overdue. Of course I'm coming, I'll try to get a bunch of the others to come along. As everybody knows, I'm proudly the gayest student to ever attend Luna Nova. I wouldn't miss it for the world."<br/>Amanda clearly underestimated the others. After all, Ursula and Croix had attended this very academy. No student, past, present, or future could contest them. <br/>"Well, that's very good. Please help to spread the good word. And do be off now. I need to... mark." Not really, but she knew where she had to go. <br/>"Sure, Professor."<br/>"Oh, and Amanda," reminded Ursula as the troublemaker was halfway out of the door. "Catch up with Akko. She has the notes."<br/>Amanda nodded and strolled out. Like hell she was copying those notes.<br/><br/>"Croix, you truly do know how to make a re-introduction..." Sighed Holbrooke at her Headmistress' desk, of which Croix currently had her feet up on, arms folded and grinning incessantly. <br/>"But are you going to stop us, Boomer?"<br/>"Croix, I'm over 150 years old. Do you think I've only dated men in that much time? I resent your implication and your inaccurate terminology."<br/><em>Huh. Well you learn something new everyday. </em><br/>"So... you're ok with this?" asked Croix, somewhat more respectfully. <br/>Miranda scowled at Croix. She was so brilliant yet so unprofessional. "I really don't appreciate you writing that I'd approved before I even knew about it... but yes. I approve. It's about time." <br/>"Damn right."<br/>Finnelan stood up, furious. "Headmistress, Croix's proposition was a direct provocation and attack in response to my free speech. I cannot stand by and allow myself and many other witches to be silenced like this!"<br/>Croix giggled like a teenager at this, and a few of the other teachers in the room had also raised their eyebrows at the logic of what they had just heard.<br/>"What's so funny, Meridies?!" Finnelan snapped at Croix.<br/>"Oh nothing. Just flexing my 'male-bodied' witch pride."<br/>"YOU WILL LEARN RESPECT!!!"<br/>Croix stood up. "AND YOU WILL LEARN TO STOP SHITTING ON PEOPLE THAT DON'T CONFORM TO YOUR NARROW CRITERIA OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A WITCH!!!" <br/>"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!" bellowed Miranda at a volume that even she herself was surprised by. "Ahem... excuse me..." She didn't know that she still had it in her. <br/>Croix and Finnelan simply stood there speechless, like a couple of misbehaved childen. <br/>The door opened. "Sorry I'm late everybody..." and in stumbled Ursula, before examining the scene. "What... did I miss...?"<br/>"A lot," said Miranda, cordially. <br/>Ursula sighed and addressed her wife. "I insisted we kept this quiet for a while, Croix..."<br/>Croix barely acknowledged her, still frozen in fear of Headmistress Holbrooke's wrath.<br/>"Well, I've already come to a decision," Miranda announced. <br/>The entire room held it's breath.<br/>"Croix is unambiguously in the right. The event is going ahead. Cease the bigotry, Anne. It's a bad look."<br/><em>Oh, thank goodness</em>... reflected Ursula, breathing a sigh of relief.<br/>But Finnelan evidently wasn't finished. "Bigotry?! This is an outrage, Headmistress! We must maintain and protect the purity of the magical community! Don't we believe in... reasonable debate?"<br/>Now Ursula stepped in, her temper reaching breaking point at this absolute bullshit. "That's enough, Finnelan!" <br/>Finnelan turned to her, with a faint hint of smug satisfaction for frustrating Ursula. "Oh, Chariot? Are you speaking up for the untalented 'witches' again?"<br/>"I KNEW THIS WAS ABOUT AKKO!!!" she yelled, aggressively advancing towards her as Finnelan suddenly became nervous and backed up, like all those years ago. "What the hell is your problem?! You've got some real issues you should probably work through, Anne! Or don't. You and your opinion do not matter to me! Luna Nova has always been a welcoming and inclusive space, despite SOME efforts to infringe on that. This event is happening. I'm bringing my wife. Trans witches are witches. They are always welcome here. We are not Hogwarts." <br/>Finnelan, now against the bookcase, silently sauntered out of the room.<br/>Ursula marched to the Headmistress' desk and firmly held Croix's hand. "Are you gonna punish us for that outburst, Miranda? I said what I said. Get on with it."<br/>Miranda sighed. "Why would I punish you when you said what needed to be said? She was way out of line. This academy will always be for all witches." <br/>"Thank you, Headmistress..." Ursula sighed, relieved.<br/>"... yes. This means the world." Croix was evidently grateful. <br/>"Don't worry about it, you two. Go make us proud." <br/>Miranda concluded, and dismissed the two, who still held hands as they walked out. <br/>She wondered why it had taken so long for anyone to suggest the idea of Pride. The world was changing, and they all needed to catch up.<br/>Suddenly, Lukić spoke up. "I thought this meeting was supposed to be about the efficacy of allowing students to brew their own potions outside of class."<br/>"Oh shit!" Miranda suddenly, and shockingly, exclaimed. "I completely forgot!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Moonlight Promises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Diana tries to study. Neither she nor Akko are quite sure if they want to join in. Constanze gets frustrated. The teachers watch the sunset.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content Warning: Mentions of Birth, as well as Depression and some implied Suicidal Behaviour </p><p>This was a rougher chapter for me to write. As such, I don't think the prose was particularly sharp, and I've struggled a bit. Regardless, I hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The library was quiet today, as Diana preferred it. Sometimes it was good to talk. Sometimes it wasn't. This was a latter situation. <br/>
Luckily for her, as she sat at a corner table, absorbing the contents of the theory book she was studying as best she could, she had the best study partner for this situation. <br/>
Constanze didn't seem to have much interest in lining her skull with knowledge of the cosmos, instead transfixed on a diagram of upgrades she could make to Stanbot, who was resting on the table. She pointed to one possible component on the diagram, and it shook it's cuboid head. She pointed to another, in which it bounced back and forth enthusiastically. Constanze smiled, and looked over to Diana, who still seemed so sad. <br/>
Diana looked back at her, and gave a sad smile, shaking her head, resulting in Stanbot hopping onto her shoulder and patting her back.<br/>
Admittedly, this cheered her up a bit, as Diana gently placed the robot back down next to Constanze. She produced her notebook and wrote the word "<em>Sorry</em>," to which Constanze wrote under it "<em>That's ok. I programmed it to bring comfort to people when it senses distress</em>." Diana cocked her eyebrow and gave her a bemused look. The next line was a question. "<em>I still cannot comprehend just how smart you are. How on earth can you accomplish tasks of this magnitude</em>?"<br/>
Constanze simply smiled adorably. That was a good enough answer for Diana, as she got back to her book. <br/>
It wasn't much that she hadn't read before, but revision was just that, she supposed. There was an interesting passage on how the moon's aura is often present for the birth of a witch, and indicates good fortune to come. Of course, Diana wasn't partial to these superstitions. Magic was real, of course, but there was still a lot of bullshit that seemed to worm it's way into a lot of traditions. <br/>
Diana reflected on the story of her own birth, that Mother used to tell. The sun was rising - it was early in the morning. The Cavendish family traditionally preferred to give birth in the home, but a hospital was needed this time. And she'd simply refused to leave, ever being the awkward, stubborn little bitch, she supposed in a usual lapse of self-hatred. Surgical intervention was needed. She must have been afraid to enter the world, and so she had cried a lot, which was <em>apparently</em> a good sign. Babies crying meant they were healthy, she had heard. And Mother and Father beheld their beloved son. They couldn't have been prouder. <br/>
Diana briefly smirked at the irony of this, before she felt the tears coming again. <br/>
<em>Mother... Father... why are you gone...? I need you... now more than ever...</em><br/>
She thought about her second birth. The "birth ceremony", as she and Akko had called it the other night. She was fortunate enough to be allowed to wear a dress that night, but she still wasn't completely sure. However, before the magnificent image of Chariot, their true mentor, they had more holistic visions of who they were, who they were meant to be; under, ironically enough this time, their guiding moonlight. <br/>
<em>Witches... Girls...</em><br/>
Diana flopped her head down onto the open book, staining the pages as she cried.<br/>
Stanbot waddled over and hugged her head, patting it in a way Diana found oddly soothing, as Constanze looked on, upset to see her friend so distressed again. As well as being mostly nonverbal, Constanze was non-contact. She really wanted to hug Diana, but she loathed to touch or be touched by anyone. As such, she had programmed Stanbot to be her arms for her, when the time necessitated. <br/>
The tearful Diana turned her head to Constanze, and smiled weakly. How, after being so aloof for so long, did she somehow end up with the best friends in the world?<br/>
<em>Who knows? Not me</em>.<br/>
Constanze edited the notebook again. "<em>You're going to be alright, Diana</em>," she wrote, before adding "<em>We all believe in you</em>," underneath. Diana's trembling hand attempted to put pen to paper in response. "<em>thankyou</em>," she messily and hastily scribbled.<br/>
The sombre mood, predictably, was broken by Amanda emerging from one of the aisles of bookcases and approaching them. "Sup?" she asked rather loudly.<br/>
In response, Constanze simply shook her head and gestured towards Diana.<br/>
"Oh no..." Amanda's face changed. "Diana..."<br/>
She took a seat opposite to Diana, and gestured to Constanze, silently tapping her own mouth to ask the question. Constanze nodded. They had permission to speak.<br/>
"Ok... what's wrong, Diana?" Amanda asked.<br/>
"Everything."<br/>
"Are you..." she whispered "feeling depressed...?"<br/>
"Sort of," Diana responded. "I guess it relapsed after, well... you know."<br/>
"Yeah. I skimmed the bullshit manifesto. It wasn't worth much more than that. Less, even."<br/>
"It's not just that..." Diana began to explain. "I've just been generally feeling like... the worst as of late."<br/>
"You can tell me."<br/>
"Ok... so you know I've been seeing Akko?"<br/>
"I never would have guessed," was Amanda's sarcastic response.<br/>
"I don't feel like I deserve her..." <br/>
Amanda scoffed. "Of course you do! I've never seen a cuter couple! Did something happen?"<br/>
"I don't really know..." she explained. "I'm just so high maintenance. What if I'm too much?"<br/>
"<em>You're</em> high maintenance?! Have you forgotten who your girlfriend is?"<br/>
"No, no, I mean..." Diana began to explain, "I've been dealing with major depression and anxiety for a long time. You know that, Amanda. I used to be so much better at masking these things. I had to be Miss-Perfect, when I could barely hold it together. All if it. It's too much. It's always been too much. I put a lot of this onto Akko. It's not fair on her."<br/>
"That's rough..." was all Amanda could say. She was hardly qualified for this, but, being Amanda, it wasn't going to stop her from trying. "You need to take your mind off of things, Diana. Put away the books, and chill for a bit."<br/>
Diana was tempted to argue against this, given that she had a considerable backlog, but knew that Amanda was correct this time. "I... I suppose so..." She put the book away in her bag. <br/>
"Have you considered coming to Pride?" Amanda asked. "It's gonna be wild."<br/>
"As you said," Diana responded, "I prefer being 'chill'. A loud event with supposedly lots of people - especially being put together by somebody as bombastic as Croix - might not be what's best for me right now."<br/>
"Aww... Akko seemed unsure, too. This entire thing won't feel right without you two being there."<br/>
"How open would I be, though?" Diana pondered. "The entire academy seems to know that I'm gay, but I keep the... other thing... highly confidential. It's literally just Akko, my friends, Ursula, Croix, and Holbrooke that know. I don't really want this to get out. In some ways, I envy Akko for never hiding it. But she's also been treated awfully by some people because of it." <br/>
She supposed that she was able to hide it so well because her position of relative privilege allowed her to pursue her goal and be taken seriously from the very moment she knew. Diana had been allowed to present and use blockers. Akko could only medically start shortly before she had arrived at Luna Nova.<br/>
"Speaking of some people..." Amanda began to reflect with a grin, "it would be very funny, purely hypothetically of course, for you to wear the blue, white and pink and stand atop your broom, looking down on Finnelan's face as she realises that the Miss-Perfect that she actively compares Akko to in order to try to disparage her is also one of the dreaded people that she's so afraid of."<br/>
Diana couldn't help but laugh at this, putting a hand over her mouth to try to suppress the volume in case anyone in the library was disturbed, despite it's seeming emptiness. They never knew just who could be listening. <br/>
"You know what?" she whispered, "I might consider it. But I'd rather do something else..."<br/>
"What's that?"<br/>
"I want to stand on the edge of the world with her again. And this time, I want to do what I was too cowardly to do the first time."<br/>
"What, finally push her off for being such a pain in your ass?" grinned Amanda, who always seemed to have the worst sense of humour.<br/>
"Piss off," laughed Diana. "Kiss her passionately!" She didn't really care who heard her say that, but lowered her voice again to gently remind Amanda of their rule. "Also, please don't joke about putting Akko in danger. Sometimes, her disasters are legitimately funny, but... we've saved each-other's lives so many times. Both during the obvious moments and... she's pulled me out of some really bad places. I'm ashamed for instinctively laughing..."<br/>
"I'm sorry, Diana... I forgot... oh god... I really am sorry..." Amanda looked down at the floor, ashamed of how unfiltered she could be.<br/>
"It's ok... Constanze, please tell her it's ok..."<br/>
Constanze gave Amanda a thumbs up, to which the latter appeared remorseful. "I'd never... I'd never..."<br/>
"We know, Amanda," affirmed Diana, reaching out to place both hands over her's in a show of understanding, before gently letting her go.<br/>
"Thanks, Diana..." Amanda turned her attention to Constanze. "What about you, Constanze? You coming or what?"<br/>
She nodded happily, and scrawled in the notebook, before turning it to Amanda to read. "<em>Going to Pride with Sucy</em>!"<br/>
"Sucy?" Amanda had never heard anything more shocking in her life. "You two are a... thing?"<br/>
Constanze sighed, exasperated, before getting out the deck of cards that she seemed to conveniently have in her pocket, and sliding over a card to Amanda. It had a singular red Heart in the middle. <br/>
"Uhh...? What...?" Amanda was not taking the hint. "So you ARE a thing?"<br/>
Constanze, appearing frustrated, slid over the three over cards with singular shapes: Spade, Diamond, Club.<br/>
"Uhh?" Amanda shrugged. She had no idea what she was trying to communicate.<br/>
Deciding to put an end to things, Diana spoke up. "Constanze and Sucy are-"<br/>
Constanze put up her hand to shush Diana. This was her information to impart. And then she spoke. "We're Ace. We always celebrate Pride together. Obviously not here. We go to town. But now we can do it here."<br/>
"Oh..." Amanda was embarassed that she had pushed Constanze to speaking, knowing that she really didn't like to. Once again, Amanda apologised. "Sorry, Constanze..."<br/>
Constanze rolled her eyes and directed Stanbot to pat Amanda's arm. Presumably that meant it was ok. Probably. <br/>
"Huh," Amanda mused. "Stan Stanbot."<br/>
"I think I'm going to get back to the dorm early. I'm really tired," admitted Diana, getting up from her seat. It wasn't a lie, either. She found herself to be constantly tired as of late, as everything weighed down on her shoulders, or more appropriately, her head. It was a constant dull pain that wasn't going away. "See you later."<br/>
"Bye, Diana! Try not to get too wild!" teased Amanda, returning to her usual playfulness as Constanze and Stanbot simply waved in unison. <br/>
After Diana had smiled and turned, she once again felt that weight. She would just have to carry it, she supposed, as she left the library. <br/>
<br/>
It had been a long day, and she should probably get some sleep early tonight, reflected Croix as she stared into the brilliant orange twilight juxtaposing the growing darkness of the sky. Such a unique time of day. The clash of emotions, the lingering desire, the bittersweet acceptance, the new beauty that sprouts after the fall. Her favourite.<br/>
"Look at that. The stars are coming out," noted Ursula as she joined Croix on the observatory platform.<br/>
"Yes... maybe we'll see some more if we stay for a while..."<br/>
The two stood in silence as they took in their surroundings. The academy, the woods, the beautiful natural grassy landscape. It would never get old. Croix wished that she had appreciated this before. Before the bad times.<br/>
"Thank you for having my back today," she said, still staring into the evening glow.<br/>
"Don't worry about it," Ursula responded. "It wasn't just your back I was concerned about. Akko... Diana... oh god... they're suffering right now."<br/>
"Then we must do what we can to ease it." <br/>
"Do you think we're doing the right thing?"<br/>
"For once, I do."<br/>
Ursula sighed and reflected on the past. "Back when I performed as Chariot, I desperately wanted to do a pride event."<br/>
"You never told me that."<br/>
"Because I knew you would kick the shit out of the producer. He said it was 'bad for the image' when I broached the subject. Damnit... I just wanted to make people happy..."<br/>
Croix took her hand, and softly kissed her on the cheek, turning her wife's face a light shade of pink. "You don't have to worry about that. You're an expert in making everyone happy. I don't know what I would have done without you back in Second Year."<br/>
Ursula shuddered at this. "Yes... that was rough, Croix. You were so isolated. People wouldn't speak to you because you were different. Finnelan was deliberately marking you down because she didn't like you."<br/>
"Damn, she's ancient..."<br/>
"It wasn't that long ago! Now you're making me feel old!"<br/>
Croix laughed. "Then we're both old. Except we're not. Well, I guess I aged mentally by about a decade in prison."<br/>
"And I aged a decade after <em>that</em> night, so I'd say we're about even," grumbled Ursula as she remembered the fateful night when she had put on the show that she had then spent a decade seeking atonement for.<br/>
"Then we can grow old and die together. Speaking of which..." Croix looked down, all the way down, from the platform they stood on, into the trees below, "... thank you for stopping me from leaving when we were up here all those years ago..."<br/>
Ursula placed her free hand over Croix's. "Remember the promise we made...?" She slowly began to recite the most important words she had ever uttered, outweighing even the words of Arcturus, "I will shield you from all manner of darkness..."<br/>
"... far after my bones begin to break," Croix finished. "Yes... I remember. And I remember three years ago, when we finally renewed our vows, after I'd broken them like the stupid piece of shit I am..."<br/>
"It's done now. It's in the past. Enough regret. Only now. Only the future..."<br/>
"I understand..." Croix threw her other arm over Ursula, and the two held in embrace atop the observatory, where they had fallen so perfectly in love in a previous life. <br/>
When they were done, Croix wisely decided to change the subject. "So how's the flying going...?" she asked, still a little hesitantly.<br/>
Ursula answered. "I'm almost back to regular form. Thanks for restoring my ability, by the way."<br/>
"It's the least I could do."<br/>
"You went above and beyond. Thank you."<br/>
Croix felt a little choked up again, considering that she had screwed up Ursula's ability to fly in the first place, but she managed to hold it in. She could only ask one thing.<br/>
"Do you want to stay and watch the moon come out?"<br/>
They both sat down on the bench adjacent to the platform. <br/>
"I may as well admire my handiwork, for whatever good that does..." Ursula responded.<br/>
"It'll do a lot of good." Croix snuggled up to Ursula, and they resumed holding each-other close. <br/>
When the moon came into view, they had already dozed off, missing it's ever-splended reveal.<br/>
But it was a nice night. <br/>
<br/>
Akko gazed out of the window and watched the moon hang over Luna Nova, as she so often did. She was alone tonight. Sucy and Lotte had gone out to town, and she didn't feel well enough to join them. There was a lot on her mind. Diana. The upcoming event. How she wasn't going to be able to sleep for a few days and should really spend it studying, but just didn't want to.<br/>
A knock came.<br/>
"Come in..." said Akko, as she turned to see Diana enter. "Hi, Diana..."<br/>
Diana seemed to be in similarly low spirits. "Hello, Akko... I couldn't sleep so... I figured I'd come and see how you were doing."<br/>
"Well, I literally can't sleep at the moment," explained Akko. "Sucy gave me one of her... well, drugs."<br/>
"That sounds just about right. Do you mind if I take a seat?"<br/>
"No problem." <br/>
Diana sat across from Akko, pulling up a seat at Lotte's desk. "What are we going to do about the upcoming event?" she asked, ever direct.<br/>
"I don't know..."<br/>
"I'm undecided, as well. I was kind of hoping that we could convince each-other, to be honest."<br/>
Akko could already guess what Diana's hang-ups would be regarding attending such a momentous occasion, and she sympathised.<br/>
"So..." began Diana, carefully, "What's making you feel down?"<br/>
Akko threw herself onto her bed, arms spaced out. "I'm so stressed..." she explained. "Nothing seems to be going right again. Classes are stressful, I feel like I'm behind, and... I'm worried about you."<br/>
"Don't worry about me. I have it completely together."<br/>
Akko cocked her head to the side a little, as she often did to indicate that she knew Diana was lying. "Ok fine. I'm a disaster." As nonchalant as ever. <br/>
Akko sighed regretfully. "I'm supposed to be the disaster."<br/>
"You're not a disaster, Akko," assured Diana. "A disaster wouldn't have stopped at nothing to fight, struggle and claw her way to where she is - where she rightfully is - today."<br/>
"Diana, by that logic, you're not a disaster, either." <br/>
Huh. She had backed herself into a corner there.<br/>
"Ok, fine, we're both pretty great, all things considered."<br/>
Akko smiled at this. "And if we screw up, we screw up together."<br/>
Diana thought about what this meant. Was it the hint that was needed? Could she convince Akko?<br/>
"I think I'd like to go to the event," announced Diana, finally coming to her decision. <br/>
Akko wasn't sure. She wasn't sure if this was right for her. She wasn't sure if she could handle it. But then she looked up at Diana's beaming, beautiful face, and in that moment ceased all hesitation, all doubt, all anxieties. All it took was a moment, and she was taken in by her, all over again. She was... restored. As restored as magic itself. "If it's with you, then you can count me in."</p><p>Diana was somewhat surprised at how quickly reuniting had changed both of their minds. They were certain. They were doing this.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Volume Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The gang is all here. Diana makes a promise. The unions are needed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content Warning: Nothing big this time, but the term "Queer" is used in the reclaimed sense, in case it causes any discomfort. There are also some lighthearted jokes regarding medication. Comrade Akko from Episode 14 also returns.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was just past 10AM, and Ursula's Astrology hall was free, since the weekend had finally arrived. Here, five of the girls gathered, and, as Ursula observed from her desk, it was the usual suspects. They weren't here for class, as was evident. Lotte was standing, her hands clasped together and posture somewhat awkward as she was speaking to Sucy and Jasminka; Constanze remaining silent as she stood with them, but seemingly content with their company. Amanda sat apart from the group, her feet up on a desk, evidently trying way too hard to look cool, which reminded Ursula of someone else. <br/>
Ursula had to admit that it was a rather disappointing turnout. She had hoped that more would come, but also recognised that this was new and uncharted territory for Luna Nova, and so many would be nervous to take part in the... no... she would not call it an experiment. Croix had been upset when that term had been used by some of the teachers, as well; even the well-meaning ones like Babcock and Nelson had been sceptical. Ursula shivered. Finnelan was going to do everything she could in order to stop this in it's tracks. This was likely to be a small event, but Holbrooke had been forced by the governors to put a limit of twenty people at the absolute minimum in order for it to be qualified as an event to go ahead in the first place - and this... wasn't enough.<br/>
And in strolled Akko. "Heya, everyone!" she emphatically cried out, her infectious smile immediately brightening the room, before checking behind her and noticing something amiss. "Diana... we're meant to come in together..."<br/>
Through the door plodded Diana, evidently very tired, her face pale and hollowed. It seemed that she hadn't been sleeping, as she took her place next to Akko and briefly shot a glare towards Sucy.<br/>
Ursula was happy to see them, though. "Hello, girls! I'm glad to see you. How are you doing today?" <br/>
"Up and ready!" Akko cheerfully responded, as Diana kept her mouth shut and made inaudible mumbling noises.<br/>
"What's wrong, Diana?" Ursula asked, to which she noticed Sucy trying to hold back laughter. <br/>
Diana had the signals for this. She clasped her hands, briefly bent her head to the side, and made an X shape with her arms. It was a bizzare display, but seemed to convey Ursula's presupposition that no sleep had been had. Diana made the same mumbling sound, jaw still clenched. <br/>
"Uhh..." Ursula was confused. Had Diana become like Constanze?<br/>
Akko spoke up. "I'm sorry about Diana. I kept her up all night talking theory. And with the greatest respect, 10AM is not the best time to ask anything of her."<br/>
"10AM...? Why?"<br/>
Akko looked to Diana for approval to divulge the information, to which she nodded.<br/>
"She has a pill under her tongue. The sublingual method really sucks, but it's what works best for her."<br/>
"Oh..."<br/>
"Don't y'all take injections now, though? I hear it's easier," chimed Amanda, to which Sucy briefly showed a flicker of annoyance that Amanda had also been told before her.<br/>
Diana grumbled something, to which Akko was there to translate. "Diana has a fear of needles."<br/>
Amanda howled with laughter. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "That's the best thing I've ever heard! Miss-Perfect, the most accomplished Witch in the Academy, presents a public image of being unfazed by anything, and stared down a nuclear missle, is afraid of a little prick!?"<br/>
<em>I'm not afraid of this little prick</em>, Diana thought bitterly. It appears that yesterday's heart-to-heart was somewhat forgotten, but Diana still admittedly derived some enjoyment from Amanda's sense of humour, even if she wouldn't say it out loud.<br/>
"It's a... personal thing, Amanda," explained Akko, rather flatly. <br/>
"Yeah, I know..." Amanda seemed to calm down her amusement and become more respectful, even taking her feet off of the desk. "Admittedly, I'm terrified of needles."<br/>
Constanze of all people giggled at this. <br/>
"Ok, I earned that one," Amanda admitted. "Let's not... talk about needles, ok? They freak me out."<br/>
The door swung open again and in strode Croix with her usual swagger and facade of confidence, cape swaying behind her, flapping in the wind as she turned to them and posed, hands on hips, ambiguously evil smile on her face. Ursula turned off the electric fan. "Sorry I'm late, everyone," Croix said, "I was taking my injections."<br/>
The whole room groaned, to her confusion. She looked to Ursula for answers. <br/>
"Don't even ask..." was the answer she got.<br/>
"Ok, then..." She changed the subject to avoid any of the awkwardness, but ended up perpetuating more. "So, the Nine New Witches together again?"<br/>
"It really is strange when you think about it..." Ursula admitted, as she viewed the band of misfits that had become so important to her.<br/>
Suddenly, Diana gave a sigh of relief, before her expression darkened, breaking from the group and marching straight over to Croix. The pill had finally dissolved, and she had words to exchange.<br/>
"Croix," she addressed, flatly.<br/>
"Diana," she responded, cordially. <br/>
"How was the... hiatus?"<br/>
"Odd way to phrase it. It did me good."<br/>
"Good..."<br/>
Croix backed a few paces away from Diana, as she simply stood there, her inscrutable gaze piercing the reformed villain with it's terrifying coldness.<br/>
"Uhh..."<br/>
"What are you planning, Croix?"<br/>
Croix attempted to maintain her veneer of composure. "Good question. You see, I'm planning on getting you all in the same location so that I can steal the excessive supply of G-ENG, a powerful force possessed by only certain witches - so powerful, in fact, that it could easily destroy even Noir Rod - leeching it from you all in order to become the most powerful witch in existence. Then I will take my rightful place as ruler of all reality." <br/>
Akko's eyes widened and she began to shake, as Lotte whimpered and rushed to hide behind Sucy, who was mildly annoyed. The others, however, seemed completely unbothered, with Amanda smirking concerningly, and Constanze and Jas staring blankly. <br/>
Diana began to smirk too. "Oh... and what is this illusive 'G-ENG'? I've never read about it, and magical theory is my forte..." <br/>
Akko didn't understand the degree of playfulness in Diana's tone, nor Ursula rolling her eyes. Until she did.<br/>
Croix could no longer keep a straight face, which was accurate terminology considering the circumstances. "Gay Energy."<br/>
Diana wheezed, and could not stop. <br/>
"Oh..." came Lotte's mousy voice as she emerged again. <br/>
Diana continued to laugh until she was out of breath, in a truly unexpected display to Akko. Diana wasn't exactly humourless, per-say, but this was rare. After recovering, she extended an arm for a handshake, which the grinning professor reciprocated. <br/>
"It's good to see you again, Croix."<br/>
"You miss me so much you replicated my hairstyle?"<br/>
"Nah. I just did that because I'm gay."<br/>
"Fair."<br/>
Despite the relative lighthearted nature that this exchange had taken, Diana's hand suddenly closed rather aggressively around Croix's, as she leaned in.<br/>
"You're a valuable teacher here at Luna Nova. I have immense respect, and even a liking for you. I can forgive the past, and for what it's worth, I think you're genuinely a good person. But if you hurt Akko..." she whispered, the coldness returning, "I will kill you."<br/>
Croix, rather than being horrified, smiled proudly. "And I would expect nothing less."<br/>
Diana loosened up again, half-smirked, and returned to Akko. <br/>
"Uhh... and on that note..." began Ursula, nervously, "we need to focus on getting as many people on board as possible. We need more or they'll shut us down, unfortunately."<br/>
"Well that sucks..." Akko commented.<br/>
"Yes, it does. So we need outreach."<br/>
Amanda spoke up. "Well, we're obviously not the only gays here..."<br/>
"Ace," reminded Sucy. <br/>
"Bi," reminded Akko and Lotte.<br/>
"... ok, you know what I mean, ya pedantics..."<br/>
Sucy was about to speak up, but decided against it. <em>Whatever</em>.<br/>
"My point is, we're obviously not the only ones here that have an interest in the event. But a lot of people will be nervous. I guess it's our job to bring them over."<br/>
"Astute observation, genius," spoke up Sucy.<br/>
Amanda ignored this. "We should probably search for clubs and societies that we can advertise to."<br/>
"Yes," pitched in Croix. "We're also going to need posters and pamphlets. Who here isn't absolute shit at art?"<br/>
"Depends on how you define 'Art'," was Sucy's answer.<br/>
"Ok, so none of us..."<br/>
"Uhh... me and Lotte are in the Art Club..." Jasminka pitched in, "and Constanze is very good at digital design and artwork. She has a devienta-" <br/>
Stanbot jumped on her head and covered her mouth before she could finish, the mortified Constanze having turned a shade of pink.<br/>
"Good," was Croix's response. "You three are on Arts and Crafts duty."<br/>
Lotte breathed a sigh of relief. She did NOT want to have to go around talking to people. Jas was pleased too, but Constanze, retracting Stanbot, seemed annoyed.<br/>
Croix continued to cross students off of the list. "Amanda, you'll be a messenger."<br/>
"Excuse me?" <br/>
"A messenger. Go around to the various clubs and societies and sell this. You have excellent oration skills."<br/>
Ursula wasn't sure if being as loud and boisterous as possible counted as being an excellent orator, but she refrained from commenting.<br/>
"Thank you, Croix," Amanda smiled smugly, allowing her ego to be massaged.<br/>
"What about us?" Ursula asked, as her concern rose.<br/>
"Well, since we're organising, we get the bad jobs. Admin and the heavy lifting. You up to that, Shiny?"<br/>
Ursula blushed whenever she was referred to as such. "Uhh... yeah!" <em>Oh dear. Not in front of the students</em>...<br/>
And Croix finished on Diana and Akko. "As for you two..."<br/>
"Oh, god..." muttered Diana, ready to be given whatever the most absurd job would be.<br/>
"We're going to need help from the Unions. I understand you've been building goodwill with them as of late?"<br/>
"You could say that..." Diana began to sweat. This job meant... something more to her. The theory they had been reading last night wasn't strictly... magical.<br/>
"Good. Akko, Diana, you need to meet with them to get their support."<br/>
Akko threw her hands up into the air, to Diana's discomfort. "Yay!" She was eager. "Come on Diana! Let's go talk to the Unions!" <br/>
Akko took Diana's hand and led, or more appropriately dragged, the poor girl out of the room, the thud of the door slamming behind them startling Ursula. <br/>
She had... nothing but optimism...<br/>
<br/>
To say that Diana's old room had recieved renovations would have been a severe understatement. Not that she cared, of course. It was to be used how it's inhabitants saw fit.<br/>
The comfortable furniture and decorative artwork had mostly been removed, and a large round table sat at the centre, of which the various magical creatures of Luna Nova conversed. Fairies, Elves, Goblins, Trolls, Cyclopses, and at the head of the table, holding a comically large clipboard, a singular Minotaur that had evidently been chosen to lead today's meeting, whatever it was. <br/>
The meeting's adjournment coincided directly with Akko and Diana's entrance to this new meeting room, as the workers dispersed and began to talk amongst themselves - making more use of the plentiful space than she ever had, Diana reflected.<br/>
As soon as he saw them, the Minotaur's immense stature became evident as he walked over to the two and offered his gigantic, hairy hand. Akko took it, and they shook.<br/>
"Comrade Kagari," he addressed formally, before glancing over to Diana, who wasn't the handshake type. "Comrade Cavendish."<br/>
"It's good to see you, Tauro," responded Akko, smiling as she awkwardly released herself from his vice-like grip. "What's on the agenda?"<br/>
"Admin," he snorted, the huge silver ring in his snout swaying back and forth. "It's really quite boring."<br/>
"I'm sorry to hear that."<br/>
"Don't be. What can we do for you, Akko? Diana?"<br/>
Diana remained silent in her nervousness around him, until Akko broke it. "Diana, could you go and talk to some of others? I'll handle the big guy."<br/>
Diana silently nodded and immediately set off. Tauro frightened her, not because he was a Minotaur, but because he was especially antagonistic towards rich people; which despite Diana's efforts to redistribute since she ascended to head of the household, there was an unspoken mistrust between the two of them. <br/>
Tauro led Akko to the round table, and took his giantic seat. Akko took a regular one.<br/>
"Coffee?" he offered.<br/>
"No thank you."<br/>
"Fair. I make terrible coffee."<br/>
Akko considered how to approach this. It was often tense negoting with the workers due to the deep wounds between them and the academy, but things were getting better over the last few years since Akko chose to represent them as the mediator between the Unions and the academy. <br/>
"There's going to be... a special event. The first in Luna Nova's history. We were wondering if any of you would be interested in helping out? All are invited, of course."<br/>
Tauro regarded her with an air of suspicion. "Hmm... and what nature of 'event' is this? Luna Nova work us to the bone for things like Samhaim."<br/>
"Don't worry. It won't be like that. This is for everyone, and participation is completely voluntary. We also agree to share the labour. It's not about work, but any undertaken will of course be compensated." <br/>
"Sounds interesting. What is it?"<br/>
"Pride."<br/>
Tauro seemed confused as to what exactly Akko meant. "Pride? For what?"<br/>
"You know... Queer Pride?" Akko was growing increasingly nervous, before the recognition washed over his face.<br/>
"Ah, yes. Pride. You humans use the term "Queer" to describe something that is considered "Other" to cisheteronormative patriarchial society. We do not see it as such. Where I'm from, we never at any point in history considered anything to be unusual. We never discriminated. I was quite shocked when I learned human history."<br/>
"It's so shameful..." muttered Akko, thinking of the homophobia and transphobia that she had faced in the last year alone. "I'm glad things are better where you're from." <br/>
"We have our share of woes," he responded, sadly.<br/>
"Oh... I'm sorry..."<br/>
"It's ok. There were still wars, there were still corpses, and of course, a bourgeoisie class that continue to make things difficult for ordinary folk."<br/>
"Of course..." Akko still wanted to visit the home of the magical creatures one day. It should at least serve as an interesting and educational experience. <br/>
"But yes, we'll help you. Those who choose to, that is. That decision is important."<br/>
That was surprisingly easy.<br/>
He continued, "I know some of us would enjoy the opportunity. I'm somewhat nervous at the prospect, still, but I have a husband back home. I think that he would like to know that I'm thinking of him and proud of our union. Marriage union, I mean. I'm of course also proud of the worker's union, you know what I mean..." he trailed off awkwardly at his phrasing.<br/>
"Wow... I didn't know that..."<br/>
"As I said, it's no big deal."<br/>
Akko was still surprised with the ease of which this went over. She had expected much more resistance. She didn't really know why, but she had never taken the opportunity to learn more about the personal lives of the people that she represented. She resolved to pay more attention in future.<br/>
"Thank you, Tauro."<br/>
"Thank you too, Akko. We couldn't have asked for a better human union rep."<br/>
"You have to thank Diana for a lot of this, too."<br/>
Tauro looked down towards the ground, somewhat ashamed. "Yes, I've been harsh on her..."<br/>
"Her heart is good. She believes in the cause. Hierarchies disgust her. She's never really was an aristocrat, when you think about it."<br/>
"I know..."<br/>
Akko stood up. "Speaking of which, I'm gonna go search for her."<br/>
<br/>
Last night was long and painful, and she was still ready to fall asleep at any time, but Diana had to admit that spending the night reading theory was useful in the context she was in.<br/>
"... and so he identified that the largest obstacle to the liberation of the gentle labourer was the noxious greed of-" <br/>
"Excuse me?" interrupted one of the fairies. "What volume was this, again?"<br/>
"Volume Four..." repeated Diana for the fifth time. <br/>
Diana's old bedroom had been changed to a breakroom, and so she didn't have the attention of many of the workers, but she appreciated the ones who were interested. She had accepted tea from a friendly Cyclops, and it was better than back home. She sighed, guilty that she had been on the wrong side during the Stone Strike.<br/>
The gathering began to part after their conversation, but a singular elf remained, hovering in the air, their buzzing more than getting Diana's attention. They were a tiny winged humanoid, their orange cap and uniform having been specially designed for such.<br/>
"It's been an interesting meeting," they said, "but I feel like you're building towards something else here."<br/>
"You would be correct," she admitted. "It's just a bit awkward to jump in from the offset."<br/>
"Well, I already know," the elf responded. "We do use the internet. Interesting move by Croix."<br/>
"I suppose it is..."<br/>
They regarded Diana coyly, before speaking. "Only some of us are going to be in on this, you know. And we do expect that we won't be screwed over."<br/>
"You won't be. We'll fight tooth and nail if anyone tries to take advantge."<br/>
The elf seemed sceptical. "I'm sure you personally care, but you're not the powers that be. What guarantees are there that we're gonna be treated well? And I don't want your honour as a Cavendish. I want your honour as a comrade."<br/>
"You have it unequivocally."<br/>
The elf gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I'd very much like to go."<br/>
Diana too was relieved that she had at least convinced one other person.<br/>
The elf then gave their history, which Diana already knew, but listened respectfully. <br/>
"You probably know this already, but elves don't have genders in the human sense. Parts of the anatomy, if you understand my implication, are not distinct, and so when we're born, we don't get forced into boxes. Gender is something that we can choose at any point. I chose not to. My wife, however, would very much like to attend your event. She's sick today, but we'll be there."<br/>
Diana bitterly reflected on the unfairness of humans, but kept that to herself.<br/>
"That's excellent to hear. We look forward to your inclusion."<br/>
"I look forward to it, too. I'll ask around to see who else we can get on board. It's been a pleasant conversation, Miss Diana."<br/>
"You too, uhh...?"<br/>
It just occured to the elf that they hadn't shared their name. "Oh yes, my name is Puck."<br/>
Diana couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You mean, like in the Shakespeare play?" <br/>
"That's reductive..." they scowled. Thankfully, they were only half-serious in their accusation, as they then proceeded to guffaw. "But yes! It's a damn popular name among elves! My wife's name is Helena! An actual coincidence, though."<br/>
Diana smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Puck."<br/>
"You too, Diana. You sure have changed over the last few years."<br/>
"Yes... that's all we can keep doing. Just keep changing."<br/>
Diana then stood up, nodded to the workers, and left, banging her head against Akko's as the latter rushed in through the door.<br/>
<br/>
"That really hurt, you know!" complained Diana as she and Akko made their way through the corridor after their exit, rubbing her forehead as it continued to ache.<br/>
"Sorry..." Akko conceded. "I was looking for you..."<br/>
"Well, I wasn't going to be far!" <br/>
"I said I was sorry!"<br/>
The girls stopped to catch their breaths, their backs to the wall. <br/>
Akko felt Diana's hand connect with her's, and she felt at ease. The two regained their composure and returned to business.<br/>
"So... Tauro, Puck, and Helena are a definite show. They should carry some influence."<br/>
"Yes..." Although Diana seemed to be worried. "Did we go too far? Are we just exploiting them to help out with our things?"<br/>
Akko also seemed concerned at the directness of this wording. "I... hope not. You made it clear that it was their choice, right?"<br/>
"I promised that they wouldn't be screwed over. On my word as a comrade..."<br/>
"The Cavendish word wasn't enough?"<br/>
Diana's expression couldn't help but betray that she was somewhat amused by this. "They said the exact same thing."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Note on Names:</p><p>- Tauro is a name that means "Bull-Like", which is fitting for a character with the head of a bull, if a little blunt. It also references Taurus, the constellation, which is always fitting for LWA.<br/>- Puck is the name of the spirit in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as Diana points out. It is also the name of Guts' elf companion in the manga "Berserk", which is also a direct reference to the Shakespeare play.<br/>- Helena is the name of a another character in A Midsummer Night's Dream. No deep meaning. I just thought it would be nice.</p><p>And yes, this chapter directly implies that Squidward Tentacles exists in this world and wrote Capital Volume 4.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Thousand Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Amanda goes to book club.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amanda fidgited in the circle as the Luna Nova Book Club gathered for their latest meeting. She didn't really care for Book Club, nor was she too familiar with many of the students who attended, but it was her job to send out the message. She felt like she was on a secret mission to infiltrate, secure, and gay up the place. Cool.<br/>The few that Amanda did recognise were the duo of Wangari and Kimberly - the noticeable absense of Joanna creating something of a void - and of course, Barbara. Lotte was also missing, no doubt already being tied up in her other commitments. <br/>The session mainly consisted of Amanda being bored shitless at the Club's conversation regarding whether different magic school texts were representative of the real thing, of which the conclusion was a resounding no; before shifting to Nightfall, as was par for the course.<br/>Barbara was especially animated, going on a long enthusiastic tirade as to the redeemability of the previous Arc's villain, Doctor Crow, as Wangari argued the contrary, the two becoming quite heated.<br/>"You don't understand! Did you not read their beautiful monologue from Volume 373, Chapter Seven?!" <br/>"Yes, I did!" asserted Wangari, "and the beauty of the monologue was the irony of their delusion of grandeur, NOT their excuses! Many characters have sad Freudian backstories, and they didn't almost commit war crimes!"<br/>"But they felt bad about it..." whimpered Barbara. <br/>"Just admit you like them because you ship them with Arthur!"<br/>Barbara put her finger up to protest, but stopped upon her realisation that this was absolutely true. She pulled a face and sat in relative silence with her arms folded, besides the faint grumbling. <br/>Amanda, no longer able to endure this, spoke up. "Anyone got anything <em>interesting</em> to read? It's so boring in here that I wanna puke!"<br/>"You are free to leave anytime, Miss O'Neill..." whispered Kimberly from across the circle, her thick brown bob obscuring her eyes, in an ominous display. <br/>"Nah, you nerds are way too much fun."<br/>"As you wish..." <br/>Amanda shivered. Creepy. <br/>She allowed the conversation to continue, not really paying attention, as she looked towards the chalkboard - it being ever old-fashioned in this dark, damp room. After the list of things on the agenda, just after Nightfall, there was the stark underlined final topic, scratched into the surface: "Address The Event". Amanda continued to shiver, nervous as to what the tone implied. <br/>Despite Amanda's favourite mask of pretending to be unfazed by everyone and everything, she truly did hope that she could be useful in the organising of the event. It was deeply important to her, and the idea of letting the others down weighed heavily. She never was particularly good at maintaining commitments, as her exes could attest to, but this time, she wanted to do her friends proud, her community proud, and witches proud.<br/><em>I hope I don't screw this one up</em>...<br/>"And that's why the rarest cryptid of all..." finished Wangari, "is people who actually commit."<br/><em>Speak of the devil</em>...<br/>"Ok, everyone..." Wangari was suddenly pensive. "It's time to address... the event." <br/>"Oh boy..." muttered Amanda.<br/>"I guess you would be the first to speak, Amanda. Go ahead."<br/>Amanda stood up and prepared to deliver her pitch, taking a deep breath - but stopping in her tracks whilst everyone stared. She hadn't actually had to address people like this before, and she hadn't taken that into account. Against her will, her knees started shaking as she frantically scanned the room. A thousand eyes. No reprieve. <br/>Kimberly parted her fringe, pushing her hair behind her ears, locking her stone-cold eyes with Amanda's, ready to judge. Ready to condemn.<br/>Amanda wasn't ready. She suddenly carried a weight. A real weight. <br/>She parted her lips, but could only produce a weak series of noises as she shook, feeling her heart unseat and pound against her ribs. <br/>"Aahh..." <br/>Kimberly and Wangari turned to each-other, concerned that the self-styled daredevil had lost her ability to speak. <br/><em>Oh god... they're all gonna hate me if I screw this up</em>...<br/>Barbara stood and gently touched her shoulder, easing the sweating Amanda back into her seat, and chose to divert the attention. <br/>"As you are all aware, there is a specific event coming up," took over Barbara. "It's controversial, of course, being the first Pride in Luna Nova's history, made more so by the architect's... spotty history here."<br/>"Spotty?!" gawked Kimberly, breaking her calm demeanour. "Do you have any idea how heavy a news week that was? My hand was ready to shrivel up and die!"<br/>"It's true," corroborated Wangari. "I may have been a little... too demanding with the details."<br/>"Regardless," continued Barbara, Amanda taken aback by her confidence and clarity of speech, "it's very important that we put the past behind us and look to the future. I cannot stress how monumental this is. You've probably all read Finnelan's... work. If not, please don't. It's painfully dull. Croix, whatever you may think of her, is taking a stand for all of us. Not just the LGBT+ students. <em>All</em> of us."<br/>Amanda liked this new Barbara. She could only assume that she had matured immensely over the past three years, from the admittedly few interactions that they had had. It got Amanda thinking about her friends, and her own journey. <br/><em>Everyone is different, but I'm still... the same</em>. <br/>Amanda stood again, this time with absolute clarity of purpose. <br/><em>Not anymore</em>.<br/>"Barbara is right."<br/>Barbara flashed a somewhat smug grin upon hearing that for the first time, but Amanda hardly minded. <br/>She carried on, taking control. "This is for <em>all</em> of us. Many of you have a trans woman and her girlfriend and the power of pure concentrated GAY to thank for even being here," Amanda stated with confidence, choosing her words carefully as not to out Diana. "How many of you aren't from magic families?"<br/>A few younger students, probably first or second year, raised their hands.<br/>"Exactly!" Amanda exclaimed, pointing to them as their eyes widened. "In Finnelan's ideal world, you wouldn't have a right to practise magic! What inspired you to take it up?"<br/>"The tree of life..." one of them whispered. <br/>"I thought so! You are here because of the actions of the bravest girls I know restoring the very <em>soul</em> of magic into the world. And one of them, my..." Amanda sniffed briefly, and felt something warm and damp beginning to leak from her eyes, "my best friend... is the first ever witch from a non-magical background to attend Luna Nova. She got inspired, just like you, and pursued her dream until she got there, despite what asshole doubters and crusty old TERFs said. And the world is better for it!"<br/>Amanda exhaled heavily, and collapsed back into her seat, the entire room speechless. "Think... on that..."<br/>She was ready to pass out, but kept herself conscious enough to listen to Barbara conclude.<br/>"It's true... I was one of those assholes..." Barbara confessed, softly, this time still seated. "But things are different now... It's all different now. Friends... I implore you to open your hearts." <br/>More discussions began to sprout across the room, as the exhausted Amanda looked on, before feeling someone's hands close around her shoulders, massaging her.<br/>"I never expected you to find that difficult..." Barbara. It was Barbara.<br/>Amanda sighed. "Thanks for covering for me. I never expected you to be the type..."<br/>"I wasn't. But people change."<br/>"Yeah... they do..."<br/>Amanda felt soothed as Barbara held on to her, her touch much more tender than expected.<br/>"Are you... going to be coming...?" asked Amanda, hesitantly.<br/>Barbara stopped, and sat down again, taking advantage of the commotion around them to privately converse with her.<br/>"Yeah. I'm bi," she confessed.<br/>"Huh. Cool."<br/>"Kind of a disaster, though. I have so many crushes. None of which I've ever acted on."<br/>Amanda could relate. At least to the first two.<br/>"Oh yeah? Wanna share some?"<br/>Barbara seemed startled and embarassed at the straightforwardness of Amanda's question, but sighed and got on with it. There was nothing to hide. "Yeah, sure. It's no secret that the Appleton boys are my type. Andrew. Frank. You know how it is. But I also kind of had a crush on Diana, ever since we were young. We've know each-other since we were five years old, so yes, the 'before times'. She was obsessed with Chariot and magic, and it soon became clear that she didn't want to be a wizard. We would sneak out and I'd always bring an extra dress for her to try on. I'm surprised we weren't ever caught. Shortly after she became insistent on being able to wear more traditionally girly clothes. Thank god her mom was nice. She didn't question. She didn't judge. Diana's happiness was her priority. Then she saw the Chariot show and the tragedy happened. And you know what she did? She fought tooth and nail. Committed to being a witch. Proudly a girl. But even before, Diana refused to even let anyone cut her hair, as soon as she knew what hair <em>was</em>. She was always the coolest." <br/>"We have a very different definition of 'cool', Barb."<br/>"Yeah, sure. Whatever. I also kind of have a crush on Lotte. That nerd is so sweet. I just want to talk to her about our books nonstop. She's wild. And of course, Hannah. I don't know if Hannah likes girls or not, and if she would ever think of me that way regardless, but I never asked becaue our friendship is too important to complicate. If she knew she might get weird. I don't want to make it weird."<br/>"That's valid. Especially when you can't be certain." <br/>"Yeah..." Barbara resigned herself sadly, before deciding that she may as well tell the whole truth. "You too."<br/>"Me too, what?"<br/>"You're on the list, too. It's kind of embarassing."<br/>Amanda took a moment to process, before restraining her laughter as not to draw any particular attention. <br/>"Oh, sweetie, that's cute," she giggled, holding back a greater reaction.<br/>"Really...?" <br/>"Yeah. But I'm not dating right now. I don't need to complicate my life, or more importantly, someone else's, at a time like this. I..." Amanda suddenly became more conscious of her words. "... I'm not great for people. I need to spend a lot of time fixing myself."<br/>"I understand..."<br/>Amanda suddenly reached over and firmly clasped Barbara's hand. "But we can still be friends, ok? I like you. You're a nice girl."<br/>The compliment set off something in Barbara. It was a deep sadness, and regret, for years past. "I didn't used to be..." she choked, holding back tears. "I was such a bitch... such a petty, spiteful bitch..."<br/>"It's ok, Barbara," assured Amanda as she stood and impulsively hugged the now weeping girl, not sure if it was the right thing, but holding her tight as she felt her uniform become damp from the tears. "There, there... It's alright..." <br/>She mumbled something in the affirmative, possibly a thank you, but was muffled by Amanda's considerable hugging strength. A secret O'Neill technique. <br/>"We're both total disasters. And that's ok," was Amanda's conclusion, as she stepped back, the red-faced Barbara smiling sadly and nodding. "One day, you'll be ready to tell Hannah how you feel. But give it time. Find a place in your life when you're comfortable. We all have so much time."<br/>"We do..." Barbara got out a tissue from her pocket and dried her eyes out as best she could. "Thank you, Amanda."<br/>Amanda felt somewhat awkward saying all of this. Giving out life advice was certainly a new frontier for her. But maybe she wasn't so bad at it. <br/><br/>The sun was setting, and the near-empty classroom that relied almost entirely on natural light was quickly darkening. <br/>Amanda had chosen to stay for a little while longer, hoping to be able to talk to some more people before she went back to her room for the night.<br/>Soon, only three remained. Amanda, Wangari, and Kimberly. <br/>"So..." asked Wangari, "the news team is invited, right?"<br/>"Everyone is invited. Shouldn't that be obvious?"<br/>Kimberly began to write on her clipboard, focusing intently.<br/>"That's good. You don't have to worry about us being a problem. We're not like the other British news channels."<br/>Amanda gave a sigh of relief. "Thank god. So you're on board?"<br/>"Well, no doubt there will be pressure to cover things quote on quote 'neutrally' and 'unbiased' but that's just a dogwhistle for being permissive of transphobia. Don't worry. We don't buy into that."<br/>Kimberly didn't even look up - she was so absorbed in her note-taking.<br/>"Well... just be mindful, ok? I know you'll want to take interviews, but a lot of people won't be comfortable with that."<br/>Wangari considered for a moment. "Will Diana Cavendish be attending?"<br/>"She will..." Amanda said hesitantly, flashing Kimberly a look of disapproval for taking this note. Out of respect, Kimberly put a line through Diana's name.<br/>"It's best to leave her alone. She's really anxious about all of this."<br/>"Ok. No interviews for Diana," Wangari agreed, somewhat disappointed because they would always interview Diana for everything, but understanding.<br/>"You can interview me there."<br/>"Even with your previously undiscovered stagefright?"<br/>"Watch. It."<br/>Wangari smiled, amused. "Ok."<br/>"If there's one person who would probably love to be interviewed, then it's definitely going to be-"<br/>"Croix." Wangari was already ahead of her. "Oh trust me, we'd <em>love</em> to interview Croix."<br/>That was somewhat ambiguous, reflected Amanda, suddenly nervous again.<br/>The journalist, ever the professional, moved to her next point. "Will there be a special appearence by Shiny Chariot?"<br/>Amanda didn't really know how to answer this one. "Uhh... maybe? Professor Ursula hasn't performed in over a decade. I doubt she would want to."<br/>"Fair," she sighed, somewhat disappointed. <br/>"Hmm? Were you a Chariot fan back in the day?"<br/>"Absolutely!" Wangari responded with enthusiasm. <br/>"That's cool. That's cool. Just... don't expect the impossible, ok?"<br/>"Ok..."<br/>Amanda took some time to try to remember what she was going to ask. <br/>"So... the news team is A-ok?" re-iterated Wangari.<br/>Now she remembered. <br/>"Oh yeah! I almost forgot. Where's Joanna? She's usually with you in here."<br/>Kimberly looked up from her clipboard, suddenly uncomfortable. Wangari's reaction was similar, her usual energetic, outgoing demeanour fading. "Uhh... she... chose not to come over today..."<br/>"Because she knew what would be brought up?"<br/>"Yes..." whispered Kimberly, this time with an air of sympathy rather than quiet understated menace. "She's very sensitive and doesn't like to talk about this sort of thing..."<br/>"Well, you need your photographer! She's got such a great eye!"<br/>"Yeah, but we can afford to go without pictures this time. Or we'll have someone else do it," Wangari confessed sadly.<br/>"What's going on with her?"<br/>"I'm not sure if she would be comfortable with me telling you..."<br/>"Ok. I understand." Amanda resigned herself. "Still, I have linguistics with her on Monday. Do you mind if I check on her? Ask her if she's alright?"<br/>Wangari remained silent, as Kimberly hesitantly delivered the news. <br/>"She's not going to linguistics at the moment."<br/><em>Oh</em>. <br/><br/>Joanna sat alone in the dark room, waiting for the day's photographs to process. They hung in a row, the flickering lightbulb giving her brief glimpses of the developing negative. Printers were now permitted in Luna Nova, at long last, but she personally preferred the old-fashioned way for a higher quality. It was also nice in here. No-one else ever came. No eyes.<br/>Alone with her thoughts, her head pounded, thinking on the struggles that she had experienced since arriving at Luna Nova. There was the obvious, but the fragrant disrespect that many witches seemed to have for the art of photography had always made her insecure. It may not be magic, but it was her first passion. First and foremost. <br/>A figure strode into the room, dancing red shadows illuminating her striking figure. Only when she took a seat across from Joanna was she more visible, the illustrious mess of salami that was her hair pronounced under the dull glow of the lightbulb.<br/>"Amanda O'Neill..." Joanna addressed, with reverence.<br/>"I'm glad you're happy to see me, Joanna," she responded. "You know why I'm here?"<br/>Joanna grimaced. "Yes. I'm less happy in that regards. But it's good to see you."<br/>They had known each-other for a while, and built up something of a rapport. Amanda was amazing. The sad, quiet girl envied her so much. Her confidence, her beauty, how she seemed to always have it together... she wished she was like that. She loved Amanda. But she wasn't <em>in</em> love with her. She had previously made that much clear.<br/>"I'm glad you're glad to see me. Sorry you're feeling down."<br/>"Don't be..." she sighed, completely drained, "... I'm tired, Amanda."<br/>"I can imagine why. You haven't been going to lessons."<br/>Joanna closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "True. I haven't. I can't face it."<br/>"Finnelan?" Amanda asked.<br/>"So... you worked it out?"<br/>"Yeah."<br/>"I don't appreciate people knowing. Please keep it to yourself. No doubt Wangari and Kimberly told you."<br/>"They didn't, actually. I'm just perceptive."<br/>Joanna was annoyed, snapping at Amanda. "It's not your job to guess what's between my legs, Amanda! It means nothing. Is this going to affect affect our friendship?!" She paused for a moment, before looking down at her feet. "I'm sorry... that was out of line..."<br/>"No. I was out of line. You're ok, Joanna. You're ok."<br/>Joanna hesitantly looked back up to to her glowing friend. "Does this change anything?"<br/>"No, of course not. I have other friends like you. You should have seen me in bookclub. It was kind of embarassing."<br/>"Huh... I'll have to ask the others."<br/>"Your eye would be very much appreciated for the reporting. If you're not comfortable taking part in the main thing, that is."<br/>Her eye... Speaking of which...<br/>"Hold that thought," instruced Joanna, rather formally, as she got up to observe the photographs on the hanger. "Hmm... I think it's good..."<br/>The colour and images had been thoroughly processed, always the most satisfying feeling in the world to her. She picked her favourite, which was naturally one without the entire faculty in frame, unclipped it, and set off to the door. <br/>"Follow me," she requested, as Amanda stood up, and did just that.<br/>As they emerged in the artroom, Joanna rubbed her glasses with a handkerchief and allowed her vision to adjust to the bright fully-functioning lighting. It stung after spending a few hours in her special place. <br/>She gently placed the photograph on a table, and the two of them observed. All things considered, Croix and Holbrooke's handshake was well-framed, as she was formally welcomed back to Luna Nova. She still despaired over the professor's fashion sense, though. Her long red cape and exaggerated collar still made her look like a supervillain, which wasn't a great way to re-introduce herself. Was it that hard to wear the standard uniform?<br/>"I assume the whole faculty shots are out of the question?" Amanda asked.<br/>"You would be correct to assume," was her response, before hastily changing the topic of conversation. "Wangari and Kimberly sent you over because they really want me with them on the day, didn't they?"<br/>"No, actually," explained Amanda, sincerely, "they understand. They can report either way. I was worried about you, and I knew that I would find you here."<br/>"You know I still want to go there and report, right, Amanda? I'm just... scared."<br/>"I understand..."<br/>"No... I don't think you do," she said frankly. "I'm scared. I'm not like you. I just want to keep my head down, not get noticed, and get through school. Besides, I don't even know if your other friends would accept me..."<br/>"Why is that...?"<br/>"I have a boyfriend. You know that. Some people might be... weird about that, though."<br/>Amanda, remembering Barbara's kindness, put her hand over Joanna's shoulder. "If anyone is like that, they're no friend of mine. I'll kick their asses," she said jokingly, but softly enough to assure the other girl that she had her support. <br/>"Thank you, Amanda..." <br/>"Don't sweat it. I'm rooting for you." <br/>Joanna suddenly became self-conscious again. "T-thank you... again... truly. But can I be alone for a little while? I need to... think for a bit."<br/>Amanda nodded, understanding. "Of course. Give me a call when you need something, ok?" <br/>"I will... goodbye for now."<br/>"Goodbye." <br/>Amanda slowly walked away, taking a few quick glances behind her when she was sure Joanna wasn't looking. She just kind of... sat there, sadly.<br/>Joanna knew that she should probably get some sleep soon, but her attention was occupied by her photograph - which she always found useful to immerse herself in for relieving anxiety. It was a good shot. The professors were positioned at just the right angle for the window and countryside to make for an effective backdrop, and everything was totally clear, Croix's motivations and questionable fashion sense notwithstanding.<br/>She would have to think a little more about attending, still unsure if she was able to handle it or not; but she had to admit that she wanted nothing more than to take more pictures of smiling people, and do everyone justice. She smiled herself a little at the notion.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not many notes here, besides that Joanna is absolutely wrong about Croix's outfit, as it's actually the best thing ever. The Nightfall joke about "Doctor Crow" is a reference to certain pronunciations of Croix.<br/>Diana's backstory is quite difficult to write, because the flashback ordering in the show is rather unclear, but I still consider it to be basically canon based on the themes and imagery from the show. Also, I've never been in a darkroom. I had to ask around about photo development, so apologies for any inaccuracies.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Meridies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The world she saw.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Massive Content Warning: This cannot be understated. This chapter once again contains heavy amounts of transphobia and TERF rhetoric, as well as describing gender dysphoria and the distress that can cause. There is also an explicit mention of a suicide attempt. Furthermore, there are references to "boy parts" (euphemistically), HRT, and puberty blockers, the last of which is a VERY sensitive subject to trans people in the UK right now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Croix sat at the top level of Ursula's observatory room, staring out of the circular, insignia engraved window as the dawn came. She sipped her tea, the temperature just right, and relaxed a little. The weekend would be over tomorrow, so she owed herself a little rest. <br/>Below, Ursula sat at her desk, waiting for her tea to cool down as she stared into her crystal ball, booting up with it's typical ebb and flow of colours. It seemed that the magical world had quickly gotten word of the goings-on at Luna Nova. Word travelled fast.<br/>Ursula brought up some of the articles. Shockingly, the general consensus was mostly mixed to positive, with websites for other Magical Academies discussing the idea of having their own events, which at the very least warmed her heart. The amount of respect that Miranda Holbrooke carried, who had signed off on this, carried in the community couldn't be understated, and her authority was rarely challenged; as well as the goodwill carried by Croix Meridies, who was still respected as a great innovator and progressive voice in magic circles, despite the obvious record.<br/>"Hey Babe, you doing alright down there?" vocalised Croix from above her, with considerable warmth.<br/>"Yes, surprisingly. They're saying better things about us than expected," she responded, not looking away from her browser.<br/>"Wonderful. Although I wouldn't really care if they said anything otherwise. We're all used to being judged," Croix muttered, somewhat more harshly. She was ambivalent about the press at the best of times.<br/>A triple knock came from the door, before it began to rattle at the hinges.<br/>"Ok, just a moment!" shouted Ursula, as the rattling continued. <br/>It was probably Akko, she surmised, pulling herself up from her chair and stretching. Akko still wasn't the best when it came to patience, which was endearing in some ways, but also a pain.<br/>As such, Ursula gasped when she looked through the small diamond window and saw Diana's eyes pressed against the glass. She opened the door immediately. <br/>"Diana! This is rare!"<br/>"Yes, it is," she responded, out of breath, "I came as fast as I could." She was sweating, her face red, hair bushy and unbrushed. She held a newspaper in her hand. "You need to see this."<br/>Diana marched to Ursula's desk and slammed the rag down next to the crystal ball. <br/>Croix yawned and lazily strolled down the stairs, throwing on her cloak from the coat-hanger. "And what do we owe this visit...?" she mumbled, trivially. <br/>Diana was not amused. "Wake up, Croix. This concerns you, and me."<br/>"Oh for crying out loud... I didn't hurt Akko, Diana. Whatever you've heard, I've been framed or... something."<br/>Diana stared at Croix impatiently, tapping her foot. "This isn't about that. Although you should probably invest in a stress ball, because knowing you, you're going to want to hurt something once you've read this."<br/>It turned out that Croix was already well prepared, reaching into her trouser pocket and producing a small purple foam ball, a product of her ongoing therapy.<br/>"Oh my god..." Ursula whispered, horrified after reading the headline of the paper.<br/>"Babe...? What is it, Babe?!" Croix was suddenly fully in possession of her senses, rushing over to the two and looking down on the paper. Her grip around the ball began to tighten as she read the bold, capitalised, front-page headline:<br/>'<em>MALE "WITCHES": WILL THE MADNESS EVER END?</em>'<br/>"What... the hell..." Croix hissed, "... is THIS?!" <br/>Diana attempted to keep her own head on straight as she explained. "It's a British non-magical paper. Andrew keeps me informed, and sends over the relevant ones, since it's best to know our enemy. I say 'enemy' because this is one of the most consistently anti-witch papers in the country. They publish regular attacks on magic, and love stoking fears of witches amongst an unfortunately wide reader base. It's the most read paper in the UK."<br/>"Shit..." muttered Croix between clenched teeth. "And this is..."<br/>"Yes... this is relevant to me, and you, and Akko. Because they've found a way to combine fearmongering about witches with the one group of people that they hate even more..."<br/>Croix already knew. "Us..."<br/>"Yes... us..." repeated Diana, slowly, her tone wavering somewhat. "Us..."<br/>Ursula, in an unexpected display, slammed her fist on the table. "Bastards!" she growled, before realising that there was a student in the room. "Umm... sorry..."<br/>"Don't be," Diana said curtly, arms folded, "we're all thinking the same thing."<br/>"Hand it over..." breathed Croix heavily, squashing the ball as hard as her fist could muster until she was white-knuckled under the pressure and fury. "That thing. That article. So I can evaluate what we're dealing with..."<br/>"Are you sure...?" whispered Ursula, frightened of the harm that Croix could do - to herself.<br/>"Yes..." <br/>"As you wish..." Ursula tentatively handed Croix the paper, making sure that she could make contact. As their fingers brushed, she felt so cold.<br/>Croix put the stress ball back in her pocket, and took several paces away from the others, her back turned, maintaining distance as so not to snap and upset them.<br/>She pulled open the filthy rag to page six, and processed what was being hurled at them this time: <br/>"<em>Madness! </em><br/><em>An anonymous insider source claims that the prestigious Luna Nova Magical Academy, a traditionally all-girl's school, has been accepting trans-identified pupils into their ranks after what can only be assumed as heavy pressure from the Trans Lobby and their unknowingly powerful resources. </em><br/><em>As proponents of neutral, science-based journalism, we at the Independent Rational Mail have always had the highest respect for witches and their art. However</em>-"<br/>Wait. Hadn't Diana said that this paper nonstop went after witches?<br/>As if reading her mind, Diana spoke up. "Yes, you really did just read that, after opposing witches since their inception. It is, what the Cavendish family traditionally refers to as 'Lying Opportunistic Horseshit'."<br/>"I figured as much..." muttered Croix as she forced herself to read on.<br/>"<em>However, the inclusion of trans-identifying males puts the great art, as well as the women and girls practising it, in danger. Concerns have been raised that if just anyone can identify as a witch, then the term will lose all meaning, and dangerous predators could easily take advantage of their vulnerability</em>."<br/>"What is this bullshit?!" yelled Croix. "Who the hell is the 'anonymous insider'?"<br/>"We all know it's Finnelan," responded an increasingly heated Diana, beginning to claw and pull at her sleeves. "That she would go to a publication that despise <em>all</em> witches... truly shameful. It reeks of desperation."<br/>"She'd rather sink all the progress we have made rather than allow trans witches to exist happily..." Ursula weakly commented, looking like she was about to retch. "It makes me sick to the stomach..." <br/>Croix, hands trembling, trying to hold back the full extent of her rage, continued to read. It wasn't much to comment on. The predictable bathroom arguments came and went, and she ground her teeth furiously as they gloated about the government depriving trans children of their healthcare, hailing the dubious concept of "common sense" as a reason for endorsing conversion therapy and torture.<br/>The paper began to tear ever so slightly at the nonexistent spine, as the seething Croix, against her better judgement, read on.<br/>"<em>It has been reported that the rot goes to the very top, with at least one proudly proclaimed trans-identified 'nonbinary woman' in a position of teaching, possibly indoctrinating vulnerable young girls into their ideology, as well as maintaining and even allegedly celebrating the shameful presence of male-bodied students</em>."<br/>Croix couldn't read anymore. She furiously threw the paper to the ground, and quickly retrieved her stress ball, ramming it between her teeth and twisting until the foam pulled apart. She spat the torn half onto the floor, and tossed the other aside, before silently ascending the steps back to the upper observatory. <br/>"Croix..." whimpered Ursula, upset that this had happened again. She turned to Diana, and momentarily lost her temper. "Why did you have to show her that?!" she demanded.<br/>Diana took a step back, mouth half open. "I... I... I had to..." she barely managed. "I... had to show her. It concerns her the most."<br/>Urusla calmed down a little. "I'm sorry for snapping at you, Diana..." she held her head in shame. "I know that in a practical sense, it's good that we know what we're up against, but... it's complicated. Croix is... well... I'm scared something like this will make her snap, and hurt herself doing something stupid again."<br/>"I'm sorry..."<br/>"It's ok. I worry about her. She doesn't have it as together as she might let on."<br/>Diana raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "Oh, you think?"<br/>"I can hear every word..." came a tired voice from above. <br/>"Sorry..." Ursula apologised sincerely, conscious that she would only upset her further. <br/>"It's ok, Babe... tell her what she needs to hear..."<br/>"I'm fairly sure I already know," interjected Diana.<br/>"No..." rebuked Ursula. "You really don't.<br/><br/>Thirteen. That was the absolute youngest one could be to enter Luna Nova. Croix Meridies was twelve. Her admission letter had been very forthcoming, explaining her achievements in engineering and numerology, which had piqued her interest from as far back as she was able to read. She was, for all intents and purposes, a genius with a strong sense of magic. She also didn't hide that she wanted to be alone, or at least thought so, and would require special accommodation for her time there. Miranda Holbrooke's return letter said that they would do what they could.<br/>Luna Nova in the early-2000s was in need of the brightest minds it could find. They had been facing financial troubles and, whilst they would not yet go as far as to accept students from non-witch families, they were willing to bend some rules. Namely, the two that Croix's admission traditionally broke. It wasn't completely unheard of for exceptionally talented witches to be permitted entrance early, but it had not happened in a great while. Croix was very much considered a prodigy, and so would be allowed early entrance for a special first year, in which she would not attend most lessons with the other students, instead having private tutoring, and her second year would serve as a standard first. The second issue, that Holbrooke had agreed to keep fully confidential under the circumstances, was that Croix didn't match the usual expected anatomy traditionally associated with witches. She had been assigned male at birth, and had been raised as such. And she hated it. She hated her skin. She hated the changes beginning to manifest in her body. She hated being referred to as a "talented young wizard" at family gatherings. And she hated the expectations that were thrust upon her. When she was twelve, it dawned on her who she truly wanted to be - who she was meant to be - and had announced to her parents that she wanted to attend Luna Nova. They were furious; but she sent the letter anyway, and Holbrooke found her impossible to turn down. <br/>It was good to get away. To go somewhere else. Where her studies would go unimpeded and where she would hopefully be able to better herself. <br/>She had made sure to arrive before the start of term, so that no attention would be drawn from the other students. The last thing she needed was more people judging her. <br/>"I understand that you have an expertise in engineering and technology?" asked Holbrooke as she escorted Croix through the corridor to the dorms. <br/>"Yes. You would be correct," Croix awkwardly responded, dragging her feet behind her, pulling up the hood of her favourite cotton jacket over her shaggy white hair.<br/>"There is a room that would be most suited to your skill-set. It possesses secrets that I agree to keep for our most extraordinarily creative students."<br/>That sounded promising, and the Headmistress led the new student to her accommodation. <br/>As the door opened and Croix peeked in, it seemed like a regular enough dorm room. Enough room for three. Desks. Nice window view. A bathroom (thank god). Her bags already laid on her chosen bed. On the top bunk of the opposite bed lay a black cat, curled up and seemingly sleeping. <br/>"Don't mind him - he comes and goes," commented Holbrooke, as Croix adjusted her glasses. Those green eyes, matching her's, were open, and they were looking her up and down.<br/>"Another guy... I never thought I'd see the day..." yawned the cat, contemptuously. <br/>That the cat spoke wasn't particularly surprising. It was what he said that drew her ire.<br/>"I'm not a guy, you little shit," she snapped back.<br/>"Croix, mind your language," reminded Holbrooke.<br/>"Croix..." observed the cat. "Now this is quite interesting. French. Means 'Cross'. Predominantly a boy's name."<br/>"I will make it a girl's name..." she hissed - a habit she would maintain.<br/>"Scram, Salem," interjected Holbrooke. "And you'll respect the new student. She's already an accomplished witch."<br/>"Fine..." Salem continued to yawn, jumping off of the bunk and landing on his feet, naturally. "See you around, Cross..." and he strutted out.<br/>Croix was already given wonderful first impressions. "Do I dare ask...?"<br/>"Salem is exceptionally gifted and talented. He's also a cat," Holbrooke explained. "And a little shit," she added. <br/>"Whatever happened to 'language'?"<br/>Miranda slowly turned to the new student. The cheek of her, already. "You heard nothing," she said, giving a subtle grin.<br/>Croix nodded. She might get on well with at least one of the teachers.<br/>"So, besides the cat that comes and goes, what's so special about this room?" she asked, her tone indicating more impatience than she intended to give off.<br/>"You'll work it out. You're smart." Holbrooke gave a coy smile, and Croix watched as her eyes flashed to the single bed and accompanying desk. "Goodbye for now, Miss Meridies." <br/>The headmistress closed the door behind her, leaving Croix alone, as she most liked to be. "Miss Meridies..." she repeated to herself. A warm feeling came over her, soothing her somewhat. Meridies was not her family name. Nor was she used to being addressed as "Miss". Her heart fluttered, and felt a little lighter.<br/>She may as well settle down before investigating the obvious, so she threw off her jacket, and checked that her bags were accounted for. Everything seemed to be in order. Pens, paper, textbooks, a game's console and laptop that she was able to sneak in, circuit boards, bolts, metals, screwdrivers, an extra pair of glasses, and enough hoodies to fill a department store. She checked the pouch, and everything was there - her most despised utilities.<br/>She took them to the bathroom and placed them on the mirror ledge above the sink. The toothpaste and hairbrush were nothing out of the ordinary, but she glared at the razors. And the shaving foam. Disgusting. She looked into the mirror and ran her hand over her chin. Invisible since her last shave, but rough, and bumpy. Shit. <br/>She would never have been able to start back at home. She would have been made to wait perpetually, as her body slowly broke apart. At least with the freedom she was afforded here, she might be able to speed up the process.<br/>She bared her fangs at the mirror, and was deeply unsettled by the person that snarled back.<br/><em>I want to live</em>.<br/><br/>Croix spent her first year in almost total solitude. Once she was certain of who could be trusted with the sensitive information, Holbrooke chose Nelson and Babcock to be the two others who would know about her exceptional circumstances. The three privately tutored her during her sessions: Babcock wowed by her genius-level numerology skills, and Nelson impressed by her seemingly innate flying abilities. <br/>"You could do the relay next year, or maybe the year after," the latter had said after Croix had beaten her previous track record, "any team would be lucky to have you."<br/>"Am I even eligible? Non-magical sports are very particular about certain things."<br/>"Croix, it's a broom. Brooms know no gender." <br/>That had cheered Croix up a little. She might have to give it a shot. <br/>When she was forced to use the library, or go out to town, Croix made an effort to stay as hidden as she could. Unfortunately, her long white hoodies made her easy to stand out, often receiving bemused looks from citizens and witches alike. Thankfully, if anyone got too close, she had an androgynous enough appearence and wild enough hair to avoid any unwanted confrontations. It was a privilege, she had to admit.<br/>However, the place where she spent the most time lay below her dorm room, connected by an elaborate series of tunnels, the entrances hidden where Holbrooke had hinted.<br/>Before Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka occupied that same dorm room, the underground workshop belonged to Croix. And she had set up shop rather well.<br/>She sat at her desk in the wide, spacious warehouse, and turned her screwdriver for one final time, completing the roomba-like device and matching the image she had ascribed into the blueprints. A Sorcery Unit. The first. She was certain that if she could mass-produce these, then they could be of enormous use to the world, and help people. She hoped at the very least that they could be the future of flying for less fortunate witches that were unable to bind with a broom. Magic needed a resurgence. It was necessary for the survival of the art to be taken into the 21st century. She took out her small grey remote controller, resembling a thicker, cruder, mechanical wand, that she had imbued with magical power, the smartphone not yet widely available, and pushed the singular red button on the centre, lighting up the antenna with that familiar green glow and casting a spell. A simple one - nothing more than to bind the device to the user's brainwaves. The unit slowly ascended from the desk, the blast of air bathing her face in a momentary chill as it began to hover. <br/>Croix stood, took a few paces back, and all she had to do was imagine, her mental link pulling the unit towards her. She caressed this machine - her creation - and as it lowered, slowly placed both feet on top. <br/><em>Here goes nothing</em>...<br/>It rose, and so did she. <br/>It could support a human's weight, leaving the ground as if she were only a feather. She'd done it. She had actually done it. She was hovering without the need for a broom.<br/>As opposed to what she would later be known for, the child's cries of joy and laughter came from a place of awe and wonder. There was pride to be taken in the work, of course, but thinking of the future possibilities and people that she could help elated Croix. Endless possibilities and opportunities to do good. She was alive, and her belief in herself and her heart had proven to be the greatest magic. </p><p><br/>As an adult, she had to contend with the fact that it was not to be.</p><p><br/>Second year. Thirteen. Croix could start proper, and after her rush of confidence, she was more than ready for anything Luna Nova had to throw at her. But not so much for what her body was attacking her with. <br/>In order to be as smooth as possible, she would obsessively shave twice a day, often spending an hour or more in combined time daily just trying to rid herself of all feelings of dysphoria. It didn't work. A rough patch here. A blemish there. The mirror was a cruel thing, and thrived off of sucking the confidence out of her. On several occasions, she felt rough spots behind her ears, and would furiously shave these areas, only for clumps of white hair to come out instead. <br/><em>Damnit</em>. <br/>She made it her mission to wear the Luna Nova uniform as little as possible. The thing was unbearably tight and itchy, and it didn't help that she had reached the point in a "guy's" life where she was always between sizes for clothes. <br/>She would just have to make do. Hood up in class. Only speak when spoken to. From the mouth, not the throat. <br/>Having to think about this at all on a constant basis made Croix unbearably envious of everyone else in the academy. Everyone. <br/>They didn't have to worry about being outed every waking day. They didn't have be alone. They had friends. They had community. They had people to talk to and trust and grow up with. She had no-one, besides a snarky cat to occasionally vent to. She felt a sharp pang of bitterness whenever she thought about this.<br/>Lessons were relatively boring. Most of the information she already knew, but she maintained respectfulness and etiquette by going along with everything in class, writing down everything said at inhuman speeds to revise later. But her mind was always elsewhere. Thinking about how to streamline the design of her units, how she would go about creating the Pixel Project, and oftentimes her cruel mind telling her that she would never truly be a witch of Luna Nova. <br/>She would often take her meals straight to her dorm, but under some time-sensitive circumstances she had to eat in the cafeteria. As such, the emptiest table was where she would seat herself. But one defining day saw that to be an impossibility. <br/>Having queued up for an unbearable amount of time, she wasn't going to be able to go to her room. She supposed that that was the cost of ramen, and that was a price she was willing to pay. After retrieving her tray and scouring the room, she was approached by a tall, smiley pink-haired girl. <br/>"Hello! You seem lost. We have an extra space if you would like?"<br/>Croix wasn't quite sure what to do. "Um... uhh... wha...?"<br/>She smiled. "I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Petra. I sit across from you in Numerology."<br/>Croix managed her voice, but in an attempt to be amicable only came off as more nervous. "Oh... yeah! I recognise you! You do... good work."<br/>"I'm glad you feel that way! Although we all wish we were more like you. Your speed is phenomenal. All that information must be ready to bust out of your skull!"<br/><em>People wish they were more like... me? </em><br/>Croix was snapped out of her brief daze when Petra posed the question again.<br/>"So we'd like to invite you over! No offense, but you always seem so... awfully lonely."<br/>"Yeah... I feel like that a lot. I first thought I preferred it that way but... now I'm not so sure."<br/>"Come on over!"<br/>Croix awkwardly followed Petra to her table next to the window, where there were two other girls, and nervously took the free space on the bottom left.<br/>"This is Croix," the kind pink girl explained, "I invited her over here!" <br/>The other girls smiled, and all Croix could do was fidget in her seat, feeling the pressure build in her chest. "It's... nice to be here..." she struggled to say. <br/>Petra could sense the discomfort. "It's ok to be a little nervous," she assured. "There's no pressure to speak." <br/>"T-thank you..." whispered Croix, momentarily slipping and hoping her throat wouldn't give her away. "I'm not good with this sort of thing. I'm sorry. But I think I'd like to stay here. You seem nice."<br/>"No problem!" Petra continued to be in high spirits as she began to chat with the other girls. <br/>Croix passively listened as she ate her lunch, picking up on parts of the conversation as she zoned-out. Something about the Wild Hunt, not much to her interest. She gazed out of the window to the sports field. Frankly, sports bored her, but there was something intriguing about watching people practise. Her attention was drawn to a scruffy redheaded girl trying to do tricks with her broom, only to fall off and land flat on her face. Poor thing. <br/>"...how about you, Croix?" asked Petra, as she was returned to her immediate surroundings. <br/>"How about... what? I'm sorry. I was distracted."<br/>"A girls' night! We're going to go out to town! How would you feel about coming along?"<br/>Croix froze, dropping her chopsticks. "Could you... could you repeat that, please?"<br/>"A... girls' night. We were wondering if you wanted to come with us?"<br/>Croix was taken aback, and suddenly terrified. "I-I..." she stuttered, "would v-very much like to..."<br/>"That's great!"<br/>"B-but..." <br/>An infernal ringing began to permeate in her skull, as she frantically looked back and forth, processing the room, the sound, and the myriad of people. So many girls just getting on with their normal lives. The voice returned. It was here to remind her that it could not be.<br/><em>I know, I know</em>...<br/>"But what...?" Petra was concerned. "Was it something I said...?"<br/>Croix closed her eyes as her head began to twitch, shaking sporadically like a pupa attempting to break from the chrysalis.<br/>"I-I can't..."<br/>"Croix, are you ok? What's happening?"<br/>A dentist's drill was burrowing it's way into her skull. Screeching. Penetrating.<br/>"You wouldn't u-understand," she choked. Her chest was beginning to constrict too. Everything was working against her at once. <br/>"Croix? Croix? Croix?! What's going on?!"<br/>Suddenly everything stopped. All that remained was the dull beating of her heart reverberating in her chest. Everything else was a haze. <br/>She scratched her chin. A slight rough spot.<br/>"Croix...? Croix...?" It all came back.<br/>"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT!!!" she screamed, her voice breaking, plunging the entire room into silence. People were staring. Everyone was staring.<br/>Croix stood up, a chill running down her spine. "I'm... so sorry..." she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry..." <br/>Before anyone saw the tears begin to manifest, she made a dash for the exit.<br/>Not many people tried to talk to her after this incident.<br/><br/>It was by chance alone that Croix recieved the fateful knock on her door that would change everything for her.<br/>"I'll be there in a moment..." she mumbled as she lay on her bed in a loose white sweater and oversized pyjama bottoms. <br/>Salem jumped onto her head.<br/>"GAH!!!" she yelped.<br/>"Open the door, Croix. Stop being a moody bitch," he ordered, as rude as ever.<br/>How affirming...<br/>With considerably little energy, she dragged herself to the door, and hesitantly pulled it open.<br/>"Can I help you, Miss... oh..."<br/>It was the girl from the field, holding herself up on the doorframe, breathing heavily. Short red hair, matching eyes, a bruise on her forehead - yes, this was her.<br/>"Hello there! I'm sorry to interrupt you - I'm kind of exploring. I'm in a bit of trouble," she explained quickly, out of breath.<br/>"And I have a cat on my head. What can I do for you?"<br/>The girl hesitated, in consideration of whether she should proceed. She did.<br/>"I've kind of... um... been kicked out of my dorm. It was totally my fault! I blew a hole in the wall whilst trying to entertain my roommates, and Professor Finnelan said it was the last straw."<br/>"So you're, uh, room searching?"<br/>The girl was clearly embarassed, but was too dangerously close to passing out that she continued nevertheless. "Uh... yeah... I was given room numbers of dorms that had space for one more, and I've been turned down from most of them."<br/>"Lady," Salem addressed, still sitting on Croix's head, causing the girl to double-blink in mild disbelief. "You do <em>not</em> want to be in here. It's what we call The Hellzone, where all happiness goes to die."<br/>Croix agreed with the cat on principle, but this was no way to give first impressions to a stranger.<br/>"Scram, Salem," she instructed, to which he hopped off of her head and wandered out and down the corridor.<br/>"I can see why it might be fraught..." the girl admitted. "She seems like... a character."<br/>"The cat is a guy," she blurted out without thinking.<br/>"Huh? Well that's interesting. Is he a student?"<br/>"Beats me. He comes and goes."<br/>"I see..."<br/>Croix was embarassed, shifting in the doorway. "I'm... uh... sorry you had to see that..."<br/>"Can I come in, then?" asked the girl.<br/>Unaware that this interaction would go on to define her entire life, Croix didn't know what to do, her head beginning to twitch again. Like before.<br/>"Hey, are you ok...?"<br/>Croix tried to keep herself still. "Uh... yeah! Sorry - force of habit. I suppose you can come in for a while."<br/>The girl walked in, passing Croix whilst brushing against her slightly. Great, someone with no concept of personal space. She closed the door, and went to sit on her bed. The girl took the bottom bunk.<br/>"Can I ask for your name...?" Croix asked awkwardly. <br/>"Chariot. Chariot Du Nord." <br/>"Croix Meridies. It seems we're both French?"<br/>"By the looks of things," giggled Chariot, smiling sweetly but avoiding eye-contact.<br/>"I actually have Italian citizenship, but my family is French. Grew up in Italy. Really damn hot down there."<br/>Chariot continued to giggle in a juvenile fasion. "Your name means Southern Cross Constellation. Your parents must have been on to something." <br/>Croix sighed, not sure if she wanted to go into detail. "I actually chose the name Meridies. We're kind of estranged."<br/>"Oh..."<br/>Croix deflected by returning to etymology, a particular favourite subject of her's. "Chariot Du Nord... Northern Chariot. Also the constellation Ursa Major. Did you pick that?"<br/>"Nah. My parents did," she confessed. "North and South though... it's almost like our paths were meant to cross! Huh... cross..."<br/>Croix admittedly found this adorable, and appreciated that Chariot hadn't commented on the gendered connotations of her name; but regardless, the girl would not do well in here. It felt... wrong.<br/>"Well, if I'm going to be honest, Chariot, I'm not sure what this room has to offer you. As should be clear, the inhabitants are of an... unusual type."<br/>"I'm fine with unusual," she retorted, now smiling directly at her, causing Croix to blush. <br/>"Umm... how unusual?"<br/>Chariot considered. "Hmm... my line is pretty much nonexistent. As long as you're not a guy or anything," she laughed nervously, "which you're clearly not, I can tolerate most things."<br/>Oh dear. <br/>Croix lay down, and sighed sadly. "Then I'm sorry, Chariot."<br/>The redhead cocked her eyebrow, confused. "Sorry for what, Croix?"<br/>Croix may as well put all her cards on the table. She had nothing to lose. She was already seen as a freak by the entire academy due to her previous breakdown, as well as the rumours that it had spurred. <br/>"Sorry... I... can't... be above that line."<br/>"Uh, what?"<br/>She sat up again, and locked her eyes with Chariot's, making sure that she could be as clear as possible. "I'm not exactly like the other girls, Chariot. The hormones in my body and the thing 'down there' aren't exactly helping me to develop like the rest of you. You catch my drift?"<br/>Chariot did. "Oh... you've got boy parts?"<br/>"Crude. But yes. I was born a..."<br/>"And <em>are</em> you a boy?"<br/>Croix wasn't exactly sure what she was getting at. "Uh... no? I'm a witch. I wanted to be a witch. So I came here."<br/>She retrieved Holbrooke's acceptance letter from the bedside drawer, one of her most prized possessions, and handed it over. "This should explain what you're wondering. Go ahead, read it."<br/>Croix held her breath as Chariot read the letter, her chest once again constricting as she dreaded what her reaction would be. <br/>Her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness..." was Chariot's shocked reaction, causing Croix to spiral.<br/>"Oh god, I know, you should stay away from-"<br/>"... you've been into engineering since you were SEVEN?!" <br/>Oh.<br/>"Uhh... yeah. I also did advanced level mathematics at 10. Got an A. Missed the A* by two marks. Still reeling over that idiotic blunder."<br/>Chariot quickly read the rest of the letter, and looked up at Croix, open-mouthed. "Oh my god... you're a... you're... a GENIUS!!!"<br/>This wasn't what she had been expecting. "And, uh... what about my, uhh...?"<br/>"Croix. I don't care. It says here that you want to be a girl. So that's what you are. And... oh my goodness... are you a talented witch!!!"<br/>Croix wasn't prepared for this, feeling the tears beginning to manifest again. But she had to stay strong. Had to make a good impression.<br/>"I'm glad... you feel that way, Chariot..." <br/>"You seem really cool, Croix. I wish I was more like you."<br/>This again...<br/>She couldn't take it anymore. Was this girl an idiot? Surely she knew how Croix wouldn't be the sort of friend she could have a normal relationship with? There would be distance, there would be paranoia, dysphoria, insecurity on both ends, and they wouldn't ever be accepted as the same. She couldn't share a room with her! Chariot would be in danger. It wouldn't be appropriate, it wouldn't be...<br/>Whilst in her latest of many stress-induced dazes, Croix felt the other girl's hand on her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open. "Huh?!"<br/>She looked up at Chariot, smiling down on her, as Croix twitched again, anxious. "You know, you're the first person not to turn me away at the door!"<br/>"Really...? You don't seem the type to be turned away..."<br/>"The other witches find me to be a pain..." she recalled sadly.<br/>"Why?"<br/>"They don't like the way I want to use magic... I just want to make people happy... hopefully make the world a better place..."<br/>Croix smiled at this. "Performance art and stuff like that?"<br/>"Yeah... I know it sounds childish, but-"<br/>Croix completely changed her tune. She was interested. "Absolutely not! That's really important! You dream of making the world better! I do too!"<br/>"Really...?"<br/>"Yeah! We have different approaches, but I'd never imply that one was more valuable than the other! The world needs more aspiring witches like Chariot Du Nord!"<br/>Tears filled in Chariot's eyes. That was permission. Croix followed, letting it go, letting it all go, the two of them weeping with bittersweet joy. <br/>"I never thought someone of your incredible talent would treat me so nicely..." Chariot sniffed, trying to wipe her tears away. <br/>"Chariot, you're the first person I've met that's not... immediately recoiled upon hearing that I'm trans..." <br/>"Some people can be awful..." She tried to smile. "But you're not. Can we be friends?"<br/>Croix's heart burst, the stream of tears continuing. "I would like nothing more... Chariot..." <br/>Chariot. That was a nice name.<br/>The two girls hugged tightly. Maybe they would be good friends.<br/><br/>Croix was still reserved around most students, but she felt like she could act more like herself around Chariot. She was certainly happier, and grew to enjoy speaking more and more when it was with people that she trusted. Even the cat was glad that Croix had come out of her shell a little. "I'm glad you girls can at least find trust in each-other," he had said, uncharacteristically sincerely. <br/>Chariot struggled academically, but her sense of magic was astounding to Croix. She never gave up, and she admired that. Croix enjoyed helping her to study, and gave her some private flying lessons, despite Croix's view that brooms would eventually become obsolete when the inevitable energy crisis hit. Chariot gradually got better, and Croix in the meantime worked on her own projects. <br/>Pixels. Small cuboid devices that processed Croix's brainwaves and emotional state. She had developed five so far, which she stored in the Sorcery Unit in the workshop, and they were able to combine to form small objects or even sentient creatures that were psychologically linked to her. Occasionally when she was in low spirits, she would go down to the workshop and sit with a pixel cat, stroking the glowing blue creature softly as it processed her sadness, running her hand over the soft synthetic fur. She liked cats, despite Salem's efforts. She planned to make more cubes, which would hopefully improve the prospects of creation.<br/>One evening Croix was feeling particularly dysphoric. It had been a long day, and she once again felt the eyes of students and even some teachers such as Finnelan all over her. Assessing. Judging. <br/>She despaired in the bathroom at her reflection. She had been doing everything correctly, yet she consistently felt awful. The imposter syndrome was strong, as usual. She focused on her slender neck, and dreaded when the accursed apple would begin to show. Even so, she felt lucky for it not being there yet. She needed to block the testosterone and get on meds as soon as possible, but it was so difficult. <br/>"Goddamnit!" she had yelled, feeling her face again. Rough. Invisible, but rough.<br/>To her surprise, Chariot arrived at the door.<br/>"I'm sorry... you weren't supposed to hear that..."<br/>"And yet I did," she replied, very matter-of-fact. "Do you want to talk about it?"<br/>Croix didn't. Not really. But Chariot had a way of making her want to confide in her for anything. As such, she explained. Her fears of when her neck would screw her over. Her frustration with the way she was viewed by others. And most prescient, how rough she always felt. <br/>Chariot, in response to the third, stretched her arm out. "May I?"<br/>Croix was past caring, and needed a hug. "Sure..."<br/>But what wasn't what happened. Chariot instead cupped Croix's face at the jaw with her hand, and rubbed a little. <br/>"Hey, what gives?"<br/>Chariot retracted, and relayed her findings. "You're very smooth, and soft. Do you think maybe the dysphoria is making you feel like something's always there, when it's not?"<br/>"I'm glad you feel that way... but I can't. I feel it, gnawing at me..."<br/>Chariot pulled out her wand, and gently pressed the cold edge against Croix's face, uttering a spell that she hadn't heard or read about before. A flash of green light. She put it away, smiling. <br/>Croix felt at her face again. The bumps were gone. She felt smooth. "What was... that?"<br/>"It's traditionally a dysmorphia spell!" she proclaimed proudly. "It works on smoothing out self-perception. It changes nothing - it only allows you to see what everyone else does."<br/>"Huh. Neat..." <br/>"I can change a few things about you, if you would like. It's the very least I can do."<br/>Croix was apprehensive. "Yeah, metamorphosis magic is good, but it's not what I'm looking for. It's not a long-term solution."<br/>Chariot explained the differences. "It's actually not typical metamorphosis magic. It's something that I learned about whilst researching aesthetic and art magic. It's much more lasting."<br/>"Oh? How much can change?"<br/>"It can't change hormones, unfortunately. It's relatively minor, but it might make a world of difference to you."<br/>Croix sighed. Of course it couldn't help her. She would have to do things the old-fashioned way. "I don't know, Chariot... isn't it just wasting magic to help an asshole like me with my personal image?"<br/>Chariot wasn't having any of this. "Croix! You deserve good things! I can't bear to watch you tear yourself apart and want to smash every mirror you walk past... Will you let me do your hair?"<br/>Croix looked back to the mirror. The messy white tufts of hair that she could never style right did annoy her considerably. <br/>"Ok, sure. But be careful."<br/>"That's my girl." <br/>Croix had a surprising amount of fun messing with colours and hairstyles, bringing some euphoria into her life. She had always wanted a real-life character editor, like in a videogame, and this was a start. Eventually she settled on a similar mop to the one she already had, albeit somewhat wavier and allowing it to drop a little further down. It was purely equivalent exchange, with nothing fundamental actually being changed - but as Chariot had suggested, it made a world of difference. She felt, in her own words, "a little more cool". <br/>"That's good to hear!" said Chariot happily. "Onto colours?"<br/>She could choose anything she wanted. She chose lavender. <br/>"Ok... so how often does this need to be re-applied?" she asked, expecting the inevitable caveat.<br/>Chariot grinned at this. "Oh, it doesn't. That's your natural hair colour now."<br/>"NO WAY!!!" Croix was elated, checking the mirror and for the first time not being completely repulsed by who looked back.<br/>"Yes way!"<br/>"Oh my god! You've made me so happy!"<br/>Chariot bowed theatrically. "That's my life goal!"<br/><br/>Despite the looks that she would recieve from other students and teachers, Croix found herself more willing to walk the grounds and corridors, as long as she was accompanied by Chariot. They often sat on the corner bench in the courtyard under the evening sun. They would talk, about nothing really. Often they didn't have to. They simply enjoyed each-other's company. <br/>It had reached the time of the year in which Luna Nova held it's annual broom relay, and anyone was eligible to sign up. Chariot had become much more confident in her flying abilities as of late, and urged Croix to sign up with her so that they could have a shot at winning the cup.<br/>Croix still wasn't completely ready for that kind of attention, but agreed to support Chariot from the stands, promising to attend. The prospect of being among a crowd made her immensely nervous, but it was for Chariot, and so she had to try.<br/>It was a sunny day, and Chariot had her trio together, after begging her old roommates to give her a shot. Croix approached them in her usual hooded jacket - with the hood down this time. The girls smiled at her.<br/>"You're Chariot's friend?" one of them asked. "She's said so many great things about you!"<br/>"Really...?"<br/>"Of course!" Chariot interrupted. "Croix is the best! I wouldn't be doing this without her. Consider her our fourth member!"<br/>Croix smiled, and the girls reciprocated.<br/>"Good luck, guys. I believe in you," she assured. She really did.<br/><br/>And so they went their seperate ways: the team occupying their assigned starting positions, and squirming within the sea of students in the stands, Croix struggled to get a view, her hood up again. <br/>She needed to take another position. People weren't just obscuring her view - they were rubbing against her, and she felt increasingly suffocated between them as they moved around and reacted to the passing racers. That cheer. Good god. Everything, be it sound or touch, had to pierce and distress her, didn't it?<br/>Strangely, the students began to free up space and move away as a few had gotten sight of something idling by a nearby tree, the attention diverting and Croix being able to freely move again. <br/>Upon closer inspection, it was a penguin, cowering under the shade, curled up and shaking. Cries of "how is this even here?" were heard, along with "why is it glowing purple?" as Croix used the commotion to escape from the stands and wander along to the finish line, where she would have the best view.<br/><em>It's lavender, you idiots. </em><br/>The pixels appeared to have come to her rescue, sensing her distress and manifesting the poor lavender creature to match. She had chosen it as the colour of distress because it was her colour. And distress was her most prominent emotion. <br/>As she became more relaxed, the Penguin dematerialised and the pixels returned to her, the students assuming it to be a ghost and screaming.<br/>Croix looked into the distance, and around the bend came the two first place racers, neck and neck. Chariot. And another.<br/><em>Wow</em>... <em>she's amazing</em>...<br/>Her opponent took the lead momentarily, but as if with no effort whatsoever, Chariot zoomed past them, gaining... gaining... <br/>And it was all over. She had won.<br/>Croix cheered in a way she never had before, running over to the victorious Chariot as she disembarked from her broom and throwing her arms around her. <br/>"I'm so proud of you!" she had squealed. <br/>"Thank you so much, Croix!" Chariot had reciprocated, as the two held in embrace, laughing like children.<br/>Croix had never been prouder. She had never... she could never...<br/>As they developed some distance, they continued to hold hands, as a yellow bunny manifested itself on Croix's shoulder, and nuzzled against her cheek. <br/>It was good to feel joy.<br/><br/>Of course, then came her third year. Or second year. Or as Urusla and Croix tentatively referred to it as: "The other second year".<br/>Diana shuddered at this, as the adult Croix stood next to Ursula, having calmed down a little from her spiral into distress.<br/>"What... happened that year?" asked Diana, hesitantly. <br/>"Well, I got my hormones and anti-T meds pretty early," explained Croix, "and saved my precious neck."<br/>"Her neck is very precious," added Ursula, humorously, as Croix blushed and kissed her cheek, before continuing.<br/>"I was able to get a pretty regular girl's puberty from 14. I got lucky. Not as lucky as blockers at ten, <em>Miss Cavendish</em>, but pretty lucky."<br/>Should Diana have been offended at this? She felt like she should have been offended by this, but wasn't. It was true that she had been luckier and had had unconditional support, whereas Croix had evidently had a rougher time. <br/>"Yeah... the three of us got lucky..." Diana murmured sadly, thinking about how much harder other trans kids had it. She kept this to herself, but Croix hadn't been the first person to throw the paper to the ground in disgust.<br/>"Sorry... that was out of line... I didn't mean to..." Croix? Apologising?<br/>"It's alright. You can carry on if you would like."<br/>Croix considered for a moment, before doing just that.<br/>"Of course, I was super insecure about my body for a long time even after I 'passed', whatever that means. As you know, I had my glowup in my early twenties. Still a mess, mind you, but I knew I at least looked good."<br/>"Albeit like a supervillain," Ursula offered helpfully, eliciting a smirk from Croix.<br/>"But yeah. I guess the moral is that behind every supervillain is just some... scared penguin, I guess," was the bizzare conclusion that Croix had come to.<br/>"That's... helpful," Diana responded incredulously. <br/>"I still wore those damn hoodies, of course," she continued, "so much unbridled power in reducing dysphoria... and yes, I was wearing one when we, uh..."<br/>"Nuked mine and Akko's magic?" suggested Diana.<br/>Ursula picked at her choker uncomfortably. <br/>"Yeah... still awfully sorry about that..." muttered Croix, shamefully. "Genuinely. I screwed up big time."<br/>"What's done is done," said Diana. "Besides, you still haven't told me about why 'the other second year' is said with baited breath."<br/>"Oh yeah... it was the year that we began searching for the words," lied Croix.<br/>"No it wasn't. Ursula told me you were sixteen when you began."<br/>Ursula buried her head in her hands. "Diana... you don't want to know..."<br/>"No," Croix had made her decision. "I'll tell the truth. When I was fourteen I tried to kill myself," she told her flatly.<br/>Diana was suddenly conscious that she had gone too far. "Oh god..."<br/>"Don't worry about it. Everything was just super overwhelming. About six months on hormones, things seemed good. But dysphoria relapsed, and I couldn't take the comments about me anymore. They knew. Everyone knew by this point. Finnelan knew, goddamn her. She gave me a rough time in linguistics because of it..."<br/>"... despite being one of the most talented linguists I've ever met..." added Ursula bitterly. "She can't keep doing this... she can't, she can't..."<br/>"But yeah," Croix continued. "That happened. It was rough. People would avoid me, and I fell into depression and more panic attacks. My grades suffered because of it. And I HATED myself. Loathed all of it. Wanted to leave. Wanted to tear myself - my skin, my soul - apart. I sat on the ledge of the observatory platform, wondering what would happen if I just leaned a little further. Thankfully..." she gestured towards Ursula, "this idiot showed up to talk me down..."<br/>Ursula looked up, her face soaked with tears. "Yes. I did."<br/>"Oh no, Babe..." sniffed Croix, putting her arms over her wife. "It's ok... it all worked out in the end... minus the supervillain shit and going to jail..." Croix laughed softly, attempting to add some levity to what was evidently a painful subject for the two of them to revisit. <br/>Ursula gave a bittersweet smile, and kissed Croix on the forehead. "I love you."<br/>"I love you too." <br/>Diana turned away out of respect. She couldn't begin to imagine the years of pain that both of them had been through. <br/>She reflected sadly on how jaded Croix must have become after Woodward had rejected her dream. How the biggest fan and advocate of Chariot turned against her art over the years, and went down a spiteful, dark path that had almost buried them all. Diana knew that this could have happened to her. Diana knew that part of it <em>had</em> happened to her.<br/>She thought about Akko again. <br/>"Ok, we're done now. You can look," approved Croix, to which Diana turned back to them. <br/>"Things got a little better afterwards, a least for a bit. I won the Luna Nova Cup that year by trying out the Sorcery Units in a competitive environment. My picture is still on the wall. God, I looked awful! They used that picture in the alumni book, too!" She continued to lighter caveats to ease the air of sadness. "The cat also graduated. It turns out that he was a clever bastard, and aced all of his exams. He's a private tutor or something now. I'm not quite sure. We're still in touch sometimes." <br/>"That's good..."<br/>"Other than that, there's not much to say. The rest you know. And that's a story we've all been over."<br/>Diana nodded. "I have to go now."<br/>"Yes." <br/>Diana repeated the gesture as a sign of respect, before picking up the newspaper. She would toss this into the fire at the first opportunity.<br/>"Goodbye, professors. Thank you for your time."<br/>The door closed behind her.<br/>Croix finally took a seat next to Ursula. "You doing ok?"<br/>"Yes..." the redhead responded, exhaling sadly. <br/>"That's good... I'm sorry about all of that..."<br/>"Don't be. Let's just stop lingering on the past, and let's ignore the hateful people. All of them. I want you to be happy."<br/>Croix once again pulled her in closely for another hug. "And I want the same for you."<br/><br/>The other second year. Fourteen.<br/>Atop the observatory, under the afterglow of a most horrendous day, Chariot held onto Croix as the latter sobbed into her arms.<br/>"It's too much... it's all just too much..." she whimpered. <br/>"I know, sweetie. I know. But I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."<br/>The trembling Croix, now holding onto Chariot in return, locked her eyes with her's. "I'm sorry for being such a burden, Chariot..."<br/>"Never. Never ever. I'm always going to be here," Chariot assured, "for you. For you, Croix." <br/>They gently unhanded each-other, and the two leaned with their backs to the railings, Croix breathing heavily, exhausted by everything, just wanting to stay with her forever and ever.<br/>Chariot needed to make her vow.<br/>"Croix, I need you to repeat after me..."<br/>Croix was nervous. "What is this about...?"<br/>"Croix, please, just repeat..."<br/>"Ok..."<br/>Chariot said it. "I will shield you from all manner of darkness..."<br/>"I will shield you from all manner of darkness..."<br/>"... far after my bones begin to break," she concluded.<br/>"... far after my bones begin to break."<br/>The deed was done. The promise was sealed. Their words bound them. Somehow, they would always find their way back to each-other, no matter what happened.<br/>Croix considered her next words. They would have to be equally important. "I t-think I'm in l-love with you..." she admitted, awkwardly stuttering. <br/>"Well, I <em>know</em> I'm in love with you," Chariot responded confidently. "I believe in my heart."<br/>"And that's your magic. Don't ever stop believing." <br/>One day, after everything, they would at least be able to start believing again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That. Was a monster to write. With some of the things happening in the UK right now, there was admittedly a place of personal rage and sadness that this chapter comes from. It's the longest for a reason! As a personal note: above Akko, above Diana, I find Croix to be the most canonically trans coded character of the show. There's a lot to get into regarding that, which I might write an essay on someday; but long story short, minus the cool stuff, and the obvious, Croix is me. And I very much wrote the chapter with that idea in mind. I looked like that as a kid. I FELT like that as a kid. This reading means a lot to me. Still working on the glowup, though.</p><p>There are surprisingly few notes to make in regards to the references, except that the paper Diana brings in is a culmination of every rag we have in the UK - and I wish that what I wrote was an exaggeration, but the absurdity of the transphobic press is beyond parody - and that Salem the cat is an obvious reference to the character of the same name from Sabrina. Salem is included as intended comic relief to bring some levity to what is the longest and most intense chapter of this work. In the show, his name is seen next to a picture of Croix in the alumni book, which as well as the obvious Sabrina reference, implies that "men" are not completely barred from Luna Nova, outright using the English prefix "trans-" leading into Croix's picture, which whilst crude, implies the obvious. So since their pictures are next to each-other's, I thought it would be fun for them to have known each-other.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Demon of Hatred</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A lecture doesn't quite go to plan for Akko and Constanze. Joanna has ideas. Croix does some more introspection. Something stirs.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content Warning: Some discussions of transphobia and aphobia. This chapter also contains violent aspects and injury, and Constanze returns with her infamous gun.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Linguistics. Ugh.<br/>Akko sat besides Constanze towards the back of the packed amphitheatre, watching as the quiet girl typed ferociously into her customised laptop, filling out pages and pages of context at record speeds without breaking a sweat. The teacher wasn't here yet, which was very much unlike Finnelan, who kept a strict schedule and regularly punished Akko for being late to class. Thankfully, she couldn't have overslept this time even if she wanted to, with Sucy's elixir still active in her system. <br/>Constanze momentarily stopped typing and glanced towards the nearby fire exit. She had sent Akko a message the previous night asking if they could sit together specifically at the back, so that they could make an emergency exit if Akko had a panic attack. Akko, not aware of Finnelan's recent activities, was confused, but complied anyway, thanking Constanze for what she saw as an odd but kind concern. Constanze, upon realising, decided to keep Akko blissfully ignorant. <br/>Akko unpacked the set text from her bag, before turning back to the other girl and noticing a small heart-shaped sticker over her webcam, Constanze ever paranoid of spyware. The sticker was layered with coloured stripes: black, grey, white, and purple in descending order. Knowing what this meant, Akko smiled warmly at Constanze, to which the small girl reciprocated for a brief moment, before getting back to her typing.<br/>Akko went over her own notes regarding the text. It was essentially an autobiography written by Gwen, one of the Nine Olde Witches. It was mostly a dry and uninteresting text, but contained some interesting passages. Gwen had been one of the original witches to develop powerful illusory magic, and had a remarkable connection with the moon, utilising it's power to perform legendary and dazzling feats of sorcery, said to make many people smile. She had, as quoted, "<em>always wanted to be an entertainer at heart</em>," something which Finnelan had insisted in a previous lecture was a character flaw, but with a heavy heart had accepted that her duties were too grand for her to pursue her dreams. It was said that on her deathbed, she had blessed the moon and imbued it with the remainder of her magical power, and some witches even told a legend that her spirit still slept under the surface.<br/>The story was important to Diana, who had grown up reading legends of the Nine Olde Witches, and always looked for how they intersected with that of her ancestor, Beatrix.<br/>It was important to Diana for another reason, too. <br/>Frustratingly, magical scholars and historians had done all that they could to erase the parts of her history that were inconvenient to the current status-quo. The version of the book that they were issued, and the only version currently in circulation, had removed entire passages and context written directly by Gwen herself. Akko wouldn't have known any of this if the Cavendish household weren't in possession of one of the rare original copies of the text, dating back centuries. <br/>What was this information that so terrifying to those in power? Gwen was a trans woman. Diana described the original text as containing passages that made this unambiguous, and had greatly helped her to discover her own identity at a young age. "I realised that it was ok..." she had said. "I didn't have to be like Beatrix in order to achieve my dreams... when I realised that one of the Nine was just like me..."<br/>Also removed were choice descriptions of Beatrix, including one such passage referring to her as "<em>holding the other half of my soul</em>", as well as the two possessing lockets containing a strand of each-other's hair. Despite Beatrix having married, Diana enjoyed believing in the possibility that she was descended from not just one, but two of the Nine Olde Witches. <br/>The revised version of the text contained none of this, of course; and Diana's attempts to restore Gwen's true story were hastily stopped and dismissed as baseless and forgery by the unfortunately regressive scholars in charge of records and documentation - but Diana knew. She knew the truth. <br/>Akko ruminated on what had been lost, as she turned back to Constanze, who had completed six pages of notes in the past ten minutes. The second and third pages were full to bursting with the information that Diana had shared with them. Knowing that Akko was watching, she made a note in the footer of the document, reading "<em>Had to. Thank Diana :)</em>". Constanze, for as intimidating as her boundless intellect and creativity often were, could be very sweet.<br/>Having finished, Constanze leaned back in her chair and yawned, barely audible when drowned out with the constant chatting of the other students in the lecture hall, but her comically exaggerated expressions always conveyed more than what could be spoken with words. Akko appreciated this. Reading people could be difficult.<br/>"It looks like Professor Finnelan might not be here for this lesson..." mused Akko, to which Constanze responsed with a shake of the head, trying to hold back a smirk. Having to hear that woman's voice, let alone reading her bile, had reached the point of actively hurting Constanze's mental health. <br/>The two watched as a multitude of students checked their watches, some already packing up their equipment and and leaving the hall. Akko couldn't blame them for already giving up, but maybe if she expressed a little patience, then the professor would still arrive in time. <br/>The rapid tapping of Constanze's fingers on the keyboard drew Akko's attention back to the monitor, where a question was posed in the notes section of the document. "<em>I'm going to stay for a little while longer until we can be sure. Do you want to play with me whilst we wait?</em>"<br/>Akko gave a thumbs up, but was slightly cautious. In the realms of gaming, Constanze was a demon on par with Lotte (and Professor Croix, if Ursula's legends of their late-night fighting game tournaments back in the day were to be believed); but that was ok, since Akko didn't mind losing, as long as she had fun. That was what was important.<br/>Constanze booted up Towerfall, and the two went about choosing their characters, the ability for two to play on a single keyboard proving immensely useful. Constanze selected the blue hooded archer, most evocative of the Luna Nova attire, and Akko, naturally, chose Madeline Celeste; apparently a character from Diana's favourite game, which Akko had never played and knew nothing about, but the girl was cute and reminded her of Diana, so she was a natural main.<br/>The game did not last long. Akko, fumbling with the keys, could only watch as Constanze once again turned her into a pincushion. It was over within thirty seconds, and Constanze could only shrug in bemusement at Akko's ineptitude. <br/>More students had left. <br/>They played another. This time, Akko had a grip on the controls and tapped away in an effort to dodge Constanze's flurry of arrows. It worked once, before she was again eliminated. <br/>The third game played out a little differently, with Akko spamming attacks, using items, and brute-forcing her way through Constanze's careful strategy to victory, with the generous help of Lady Luck, of course. <br/>If Constanze was in a speaking mood, she would have commented on how the Random Number Generator simply made a miscalculation, but she kept this to herself, pursing her lips and grinding her teeth in response to her most embarassing loss. As a result, she shut the game off.<br/>There was no-one else left in the room.<br/>Constanze brought back up her document, and the two decided that they may as well proof-read it before they set off, the lesson obviously cancelled.<br/>The document was... different. <br/>Gwen's identity had once again been changed, with unflattering descriptions and expletives replacing the notes that Constanze had taken. Under this were familiar-looking rants about the decline of witchcraft, and how "degenerates" all the way from Gwen to Chariot Du Nord to Croix Meridies were driving witches to "extinction". Constanze hadn't written this... right?<br/>Constanze began to flap her hands uncontrollably as she shook her head back and forth, staring pleadingly at Akko in hopes that she would recognise that she didn't do this. <br/>Hands still trembling, utterly divorced from her regular stoic composure, she attempted to type for Akko to see. <br/>"<em>I'm so sorry, Akko. It wasn't me. I promise it wasn't me. The document has changed. It's somehow cha</em>-"<br/>The cursor highlighted and deleted the words before Constanze could finish her explanation, sending the poor girl into an even greater panic.<br/>"Constanze, it's ok!" Akko cried out, trying her best to comfort her within the limitations that the no-contact rule could provide. <br/><em>Resist the urge to hug, Akko</em>... was what went through both of their minds, albeit one more from a place of self-discipline and the other through fear. <br/>More text began to appear without any input. And the poison seeped.<br/><br/>Croix watched the students file out of the hall after her lecture on the efficacy of Sorcery Units was finished. More students than ever had enrolled in Modern Magic and Technology, providing a much needed boost to a field that was still very much on shaky ground in the wider community. Thankfully, the use of the SSS in saving the world three years ago (conveniently skipping over how it accidentally helped to enable the missile crisis in the first place) was convincing enough for Holbrooke to approve it's re-installation. It wasn't really needed due to the resurgence of magic's power after the missle crisis, but it helped to serve as a bulwark against any potential future issues - with the caveat that it would be closely monitored by the feds.<br/>All that was left of the class was a bespectacled, purple-haired girl, clutching a camera and looking uncomfortable. She approached the professor nervously. <br/><em>Oh, great, it's me</em>...<br/>"Joanna. Is there anything you need?" Croix softly asked the girl. Despite the initial intentions of before, she found that she enjoyed teaching considerably. <br/>"Y-yes..." Joanna stuttered, nervous at the prospect of talking to <em>the</em> Croix Meridies for the first time. "I'm... looking for more shots. Is that... o-ok...?"<br/>"Of course! How would you like the frame?"<br/>Now Croix was speaking her language. <br/>"Ok, Professor," she instructed, infinitely more confident already. "Could you please scoot over to the blackboard? I'd like you framed with the Sorcery Unit diagram beside you."<br/>Croix leaned against the blackboard, arms folded, her sly grin perhaps being a little much, but damnit, she hadn't spent years in the closet not to dress this well. <br/>"Oh wait, I know!" Joanna suddenly had an idea. "Could you move to the other side of the diagram? I think it would give the shot more character."<br/>"Hmph... you haven't gotten maximum character out of me? Very well." Croix wasn't bitter - she was being playful. The idea had crossed her mind, too.<br/>"That's good!" approved Joanna as Croix changed over, her head directly besides the "Neural Link" part of the diagram, depicting brainwaves. "Very good!" <br/>She brought the frame into focus and adjusted from several different angles. <br/>"You're not wearing eyeshadow today," she observed.<br/>"Yeah..." confessed Croix, "It's only an occasional thing now. I used to use it a lot more, and it brought me a lot of euphoria in my twenties. But it reminds my wife of the bad times. And me too." Her spirits had suddenly lowered, as she turned her head and gazed wistfully past the windows and into the gardens. <br/>Joanna felt guilty for bringing it up, but she needed to seize this opportunity. "Hmm..." she pretended to wonder, despite having this in mind in advance. "I think 'Welcoming Croix' is a nice look. I think we could work on that some more!" <br/>"How so...?"<br/>Got her. "Well, have you considered that maybe you look a little too much like... well... a supervillain?" <br/>Croix looked back up towards the photographer, her expression as blank as Amanda's revision cards. "I <em>was</em> a supervillain."<br/>"True..."<br/>"Well, let's see if it helps..." Croix muttered as she cast off her cloak, sending it into a bundle down onto her desk, draping the edge of the laptop. <br/>She took the same position, her harnesses and belts on full display, much to Joanna's amusement. Two belts? Really?<br/>"Yes, I'm a lesbian," sighed Croix, feeling the judgement. "I like the steampunk aesthetic, ok?!" <br/>Joanna couldn't help but smirk at the idea of the professor completing the look with a tophat and anachronistic goggles.<br/>"Yare yare..." murmured the tired teacher, still leaning against the blackboard as she waited for the student to get her picture over with as Joanna took a few paces forward without her notice, "and people wonder why it was so much easier to just wear hoodies..."<br/>The lens flash disoriented her, leaving the stinging afterimage of Joanna's camera burned into her mind.<br/>"What the hell was that?!" demanded Croix, reeling from the shock.<br/>"Oh, I just thought you'd never shut up. So I figured that the best kind of shot is one that's natural and in-the-moment," she explained, glibly. <br/>"Do you talk like that to every professor?"<br/>"Only the one's I respect," was her oddly confident response. "Even when they won't shut up."<br/>"No-one will ever get me to shut up..." retorted Croix with a hint of bitterness.<br/>"You must have been a real Wangari in class."<br/>Croix didn't exactly want to be taken back to that time. "Actually, I... was a quiet kid." <br/>"Huh... so... were you the first or...?"<br/>"First what?"<br/>Joanna was suddenly apprehensive, with the sudden harshness of the Professor's tone causing her to re-evaluate. "Never... mind..."<br/>Croix turned away and pulled the cloak off of her desk, throwing it over her shoulders. "I don't know the answer," she said, her back to the student. "I don't know."<br/>"Wha...?"<br/>"You were going to ask if I was the first Transgender student to attend Luna Nova. And if I'm the first Transgender professor. My answer is that I don't know."<br/>"I wasn't going to ask..."<br/>"Yes you were." She turned back and faced the photographer, her features now much more drawn and melancholic. "Why are you so interested, Joanna?"<br/>What could she say? This was a nightmare. She had made the professor uncomfortable, and gone too far this time. She cursed her reporter-brain, always pushing for new things to find out, and chose to be straightforward.<br/>"I'm very sorry... it was inappropriate of me to ask. It's just... me and the team are interested in your event, and I've been considering attending. Not... strictly as a reporter..."<br/>Croix sat down at her desk, and drank some water. "I... see..." she said weakly, turning away again in her rotating chair. <br/>"The headmistress must have never told you. She helped me to change my documented place of birth to Sweden, when I'm actually... Icelandic, if you read my meaning."<br/>Croix understood the implication. "Yeah... she's good with that... she helped me to change my name... why not you?"<br/>"I love my dad. It would break his heart if I changed my name..."<br/>"I see..." she repeated. Not exactly her own experience.<br/>"But... since I'm in your class, I figured you... should know."<br/>Now Croix felt guilty. "You know, you don't have an... obligation to disclose... just because I'm..."<br/>"But I want to," Joanna assured, confident once again. "Despite everything...I'm glad I'm in this class and that you're my teacher. If I have an anxiety attack, I just... think it's appropriate that you know the context."<br/>Croix's adolescent twitching tic began to rear it's head again.<br/><br/>"MISS AKKO, HURRY UP!!!" generated the Stanbot on Constanze's head as Akko lagged behind her in the corridor, out of breath. Constanze was surprisingly fast.<br/>"I'm doing my best!" huffed Akko as she tried to keep up with her, clutching the infected laptop under her arm. <br/>She turned the corner and Constanze was there beside the lecture hall door, looking as bored as ever, eyebrows raised as if to have the gall to ask what took her so long.<br/>"Why... did we have to... run...?" was all that Akko could manage<br/>Constanze shrugged, and Akko limped behind her into the room, her body feeling weighed down by the bizzare display of exertion.<br/>What they saw wasn't exactly what they expected, but by this point, Akko had trained herself to never be surprised by anything anymore. The photographer for the News Team, Joanna Ivarsson, Akko recalled her name being, was stood frozen with the most widened eyes that Akko had ever seen, whilst Professor Croix, head down on her desk, sobbed into what seemed to be a lavender teddy bear, that was stroking and patting her hair. <br/>Stanbot jumped off of Constanze's head and up to the desk to join in, briefly regarding the bear with suspicion before replicating it's comforts.<br/>The shock of an unwanted pair of arms snapped Croix out of whatever she was going through, as she grabbed the Stanbot and tossed it back to Constanze, thankfully catching it. <br/>Croix snarled, her eyes momentarily gleaming with the same stinging hatred Akko had seen years ago. "Do not touch me. Nobody except for my wife and my animals gets to touch me. You should know this, Constanze." <br/>Constanze bowed her head in remorse, cursing herself for not knowing better, before Croix stood up and softened. <br/>"I'm sorry, girls..." she whimpered, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "I'm being unprofessional." <br/>"No..." interjected Joanna, as or if not more remorseful than Constanze. "I overstepped and set off a trauma trigger that I wasn't aware of..."<br/>"Nah..." sniffed Croix, throwing the tissue away and attempting to regain her composure. "I wasn't ready. But I am glad that you can trust me enough to tell me. It feels good to be trusted again..."<br/>"Umm..." Akko began, "tell you what?"<br/>"None of your business," the two other speakers snapped.<br/>Akko became the fourth and final person in the room to become heavy with remorse - perhaps heavier with the weight that she already carried - lowering her head as Constanze had.<br/>"Well, we're all sufficiently miserable..." Croix sighed. "What's going on?"<br/>Akko tried her best to explain, but it mostly came out disjointed and incoherent. "There was a weird cursor... and awful words... and we had no control... and..."<br/>Constanze rolled her eyes, and prodded Stanbot.<br/>"Miss Constanze seems to have been hacked," it explained, somehow more thoroughly and clearly than anything Akko was able to say.<br/>"Ok... any details...?" asked Croix, appearing sufficiently bored. <br/>Stanbot delivered the information. "The tampering of Miss Constanze's documents included explicit mention and indictment of one Chariot du Nord and Croix Meridies."<br/>Croix's eyes snapped back to life, as she jolted to her feet and held her arm out to the bear as it broke apart into a half-dozen lavender cubes floating in their familiar fashion towards her hand, before snapping her fingers to signal their de-atomization. Akko and Constanze had forgotten just how much dread that the professor's Pixels instilled. <br/>Her lips parted. "Show me." Harsh, robotic, cold.<br/>Akko handed over the laptop to the professor, who put her own away before placing it on her desk. The three gathered around her, and watched with baited breath as Croix booted it up.<br/>Red. Nothing but red. <br/>The monitor's pure, evil glow terrified Akko and Joanna, and seemed to greatly upset Constanze, with whom Stanbot had redirected it's patting attention to. It didn't help.<br/>"Ok..." observed Croix, professionally, "it seems to have completely transformed into a red screen of death."<br/>"D-death?!" shrieked Akko, eliciting the usual looks of tired resignation and bemusement from the others.<br/>"It's basic terminology," Croix tried to explain, her patience thinning. "It's not actually something that can hurt you... observe..."<br/>Croix cracked her knuckles and began to type. Akko was still bewildered at how tech-savvy people like Croix and Constanze could be so fast and efficient, when typing was a routine pain and slow, monotonous process for her whenever she was forced to.<br/>"Nothing..." Croix was surprised at it's resistance. "I can't get up the command line. I can't do anything... I don't understand... viruses are easy to crack..."<br/>The screen began to glow a darker, deeper red, Croix staring into this virtual abyss with fascination and a hint of fear. As Joanna and Akko began to quake with dread, even Constanze backed off and maintained some distance as the red screen melted into something more resembling turquoise. <br/>And then, Croix worked it out. "Fear..." she whispered, as crimson tendrils reformed and spread across the screen, re-enveloping the machine with the deep glow of hate.<br/>Constanze had also worked it out, but had the others? Croix was frozen, open-mouthed in disbelief at what she was witnessing. Their hearts beat in perfect synchronisation - they could sense it in each-other as the horrifying realisation came over them. They both knew. But Croix couldn't form any words.<br/>Constanze would have to cross the line. Her line. She opened her mouth, and for the first time since she was a child, allowed her throat to do the work and reach it's full potential. "Scheiße! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THERE!!!"<br/>Constanze dived away from the laptop as red sparks crackled and flew from the keyboard, the current striking Croix with it's full force, blasting the teacher against the blackboard, slamming her back against the harsh surface and sending her crashing into a heap onto the ground.<br/>"Professor!!!" Akko screamed, as she ran to try to help her, before she was pulled back, something wrapping around her neck, choking her as it tightened. The sanguine tentacles of the beast had manifested from the machine and had been granted physical form, and more were slowly spreading outwards, surrounding the terrified Joanna as she could only watch.<br/>But Constanze wasn't going to just watch. Stanbot converted into it's secondary form of a crude shotgun as Constanze grabbed it and rushed towards the corrupted laptop. She barely dodged to the side as another tendril grew razor blades and attempted to stab at her, barely grazing her leg, as she took aim at the creature hurting Akko and fired. The kickback was rough, as ever, but watching the tendril sever and release it's grip on her friend was more than worth whatever miniscule pain it could inflict onto her body.<br/>Akko collapsed to her knees, gagging and spluttering as she held her throat in shock.<br/><em>Have to save the photographer</em>...<br/>Before anything could touch Joanna, Constanze took a leap and slammed the laptop shut. And the danger de-materialised as quickly as it had sprouted.<br/>She ran to Akko and hugged her tightly, seeing fit to break the second rule under extenuating circumstances.<br/>"Con...stanze...?" Akko murmured, in disbelief over the past thirty seconds.<br/>She helped her to stand, as Joanna ran to Croix.<br/>"I'm ok..." Croix barely managed as she tried to haul herself up. "I'm ok..." <br/>She was not, tripping and only managing to stay upright through holding on to the desk. There were scratches and burns over her face, evocative of what had happened in the forest of Arcturus.<br/>"It's... happening again..." whispered Constanze.<br/>Akko tried her best to turn back, needing assistance from Constanze to reposition. "Professor Croix..." she asked slowly, "... what have you done...?"<br/>"I..." Croix coughed, "I swear to god... I didn't do any of this..." She slumped down against the desk in an effort to ease herself, breathing heavily. <br/>"What on earth was that thing?" panted Joanna, trying to recover from the shock.<br/>"I think that a Pixel must have gotten in there... manipulated the system... turned it into a demon of hatred... red... fury... the strongest energy source of all the emotions."<br/>"Isn't that your MO, though?" Joanna asked, concerningly. <br/>"It was... now I just use them for myself. They help me..." <br/>"I don't understand any of this..." Akko mused, furrowing her brow. "Who else would have access to this kind of technology?"<br/>"I don't know... no-one else wants much to do with this stuff for obvious reasons. Where were you when things began to go haywire?"<br/>"In Linguistics, although the professor didn't show up..."<br/>A sudden wave of recognition washed over Croix's face, before contorting into the Croix that terrified them all. "It can't be..."<br/>Akko was only more confused with the vagueness of Croix's statements, as the latter pulled herself back up again, standing as straight as she could, still needing to be propped up by the desk. "I'll... no... I'll..."<br/>"Professor...?" Joanna asked timidly. <br/>"I'll make her pay for this..."<br/>"Who?!" demanded Akko, her distress rising and patience thinning. <br/>"Finnelan!" yelled Constanze, harshly. And then, more softly, "None of us wanted you to know..."<br/>"You can't be serious?!" Joanna interjected. "She wouldn't go THAT far, would she?"<br/>"There's no low these pieces of shit won't sink to..." muttered Croix. "I <em>know</em> it was her..."<br/>"But you're the only one who can-" <br/>"I should have destroyed everything upon my failure in 2017... instead the government seized my lab because I'm sentimental. Finnelan has influence. She must have gotten hold of and studied the same "degenerate" magic that I did, to use it against us to... some end..."<br/>"Degenerate..." Akko suddenly clicked. "Wait, that word was used in the hacked essay. To describe you and Professor Ursula and... anyone who didn't fit the traditional mould... that you were 'killing' magic..."<br/>"Of course. That's something that she would say," Croix muttered, barely holding it together. "You know why she hates us... right, Akko?"<br/>"Yeah... I know she never cared for me. I was bad at magic. I had dreams that didn't fit with her worldview. She didn't like you from the beginning due to your different philosophy and developemnt of magic... nor Shiny Chariot..."<br/>"Yeah... she hated us. She saw Ursula's ambitions as frivolous and damaging to the community, and she couldn't stand my approach to things... She called us 'degenerates'<em> a lot</em> when we were young. We enabled each-other, she said. True, we did, but it was only ever a good thing... until it wasn't, which... you know..." She would rather not bring it up.<br/>"So that's the motive?" asked Joanna, knowing that there was more.<br/>"I'm so sorry that nobody told you, Akko..." apologised Croix with a heavy heart, disheartened that she had to be the one to break a painful truth to the poor girl that she was <em>not</em> ready to hear. Again. "But there's another reason, above all of that, why the two of us are on that woman's shit-list."<br/>It took a moment, but then it dawned on Akko. "Oh no... oh please no..."<br/>"You really didn't know, did you...?" Joanna said, biting her fingernails. "You never read what she wrote... you lucky thing..."<br/>"I don't understand!" Akko yelled, tears in her eyes. "What else is there to it?!" In her heart she already knew.<br/>"She's a hateful transphobe, Akko!" Croix yelled in return, exasperated by having to spell it out. "She hates you, and she hates me, because we're 'unnatural' to her. She wrote a <em>manifesto</em> on how we were responsible for 'the death of magic' - she's collaborated with anti-Witch organisations because she hates us SO much. Our EXISTENCE offends her."<br/>"But... but... what about Diana? She's always liked Diana. She never treated her badly..."<br/>Joanna caught the implication. "Wait, what...?"<br/>"Diana isn't OUT like we are, Akko. Why do you think she keeps this stuff a secret?! It keeps her safe from these assholes! We both outed ourselves like idiots. I had a dysphoric panic attack that resulted in rumours being spread when I was thirteen years old, and you never asked Holbrooke to redact your medical records! On top of that, Finnelan had access to your room and probably saw your meds! I observed you as you turned yourself into a <em>Merman</em> and made the front page, for god's sake!!! You were not subtle, Akko." <br/>Joanna was still reeling from the new information she had recieved. Diana? <em>The</em> Diana? <br/>"So..." she asked, "Diana... is one of us?"<br/>"Us?" asked Akko.<br/>"Damnit!" Joanna yelled in frustration. "Yeah, you've got me. Joanna Ivarsson, Icelandic and proud! Trans and prouder! Congratulations, assholes - nice to meet you!"<br/>This was as much a surprise to Akko as the news of Diana was to Joanna, she supposed. Still, she surmised that this could only be a good thing. It was good to meet new people that she could confide in.<br/>Of course, Constanze was close to Amanda and already knew.<br/>"I can't believe it..." Joanna was still incredulous. "That's... that's..." a faint smile formed on her lips upon thinking more about it, "...so cool. I can't believe it. That one of us would be Moonlight Witch..."<br/>"Hey!" Croix. "<em>I</em> was Moonlight Witch!"<br/>Oh dear. For a reporter, she probably should have brushed up on her history. "Sorry..."<br/>Something else suddenly registered with Akko. "Wait... so the pride event that we're doing...?"<br/>"Yes..." Croix again. "Me and Ursula decided that we were going to do it because we couldn't remain silent on Finnelan's attacks. We had to do something. For all of us." <br/>"B-but..." Akko thought she understood now. "Professor Croix... isn't this... for the wrong reasons? Isn't this just... out of spite?"<br/>Croix's countenance became flustered. She was about to retort, but Akko raised a valid point, hitting her in the gut like a sledgehammer. It was true. All of it. "Oh my god... I really am still that same person..." she whispered, staring down at her hands as if they were soaked with blood.<br/>"So..." Joanna cautiously proceeded, "... this wasn't about pride... it was about spite. Wrath. That's why you're doing this..."<br/>The teacher snapped. "Don't you think I haven't been laying in bed at night worried that this was the truth?! That I'm just repressing my true motivation?! Telling myself that it for the students, when it was just revenge?! Retaliation?! Spite?!" Croix put her head in her hands. "By the Nine... I really am just the same as I was... convincing myself that I'm doing a good thing... but it's just because I'm pissed at the world... and want to prove something..." <br/>No-one really seemed to know how to respond to this, and the room fell silent. No-one moved, besides Croix, whose head began to slightly jerk side to side.<br/>"No..." Constanze. It was Constanze, shaking her head. "No. This is nothing like before. What we're doing... It's a good thing. An unambiguously good thing. Your motives notwithstanding."<br/>Croix looked up, shocked at Constanze's input and articulation. Akko and Joanna had never heard anything like this, either. Of course, she had spoken before, even recently, but this was... different. There was no hint of exasperation or desperation. She was doing this because she wanted to. Her voice was so... deep and mature. Somewhat calming. It took on a reassuring air amidst all of the turmoil.<br/>"Before you ask, yes, I'm cis. And I feel like this disqualifies me from this conversation under regular circumstances, but you all just almost died, and the three of you are a mess right now, so someone has to interject. That someone, it seems, is me. Do I have your attention?"<br/>Akko and Joanna each gave her a thumbs up, and Croix weakly nodded, handing the conversation over to the true teaching authority in the room.<br/>Constanze continued. "Good. Professor Croix: with the greatest respect and most reverence I posses for for another engineer, get a hold of yourself. This is bigger than any one person. We're making a statement. And you know what? A healthy degree of spite is warranted, given the circumstances. From you, and Akko, and Diana, and Joanna, and whoever else shares your circumstances, especially. You spite these ghouls by living. You're winning. Re-appropriating your technology to cause chaos? It's pitiful. Our adversary is desperate. She's losing. There is likely more to come, but it'll mean nothing. What we are doing means everything. Sucy, Amanda, Lotte, Jasminka - we're right behind you, and we're doing it for us, too. We all have our reasons. Pride is good, and spite is valid. Do you have any idea how many times I've been called "broken" for my orientation? A robot? An unfeeling freak? Invalid? <em>Wrong</em>? If we're so unfeeling, then how is it that I keep crying into Sucy's arms when I get called these things? We all have spite within us, and that fuels a desire to channel those negative emotions into something good, something <em>incredible</em>. We've never done this before. Luna Nova has never seen this before."<br/>She turned to Akko. "Akko Kagari, you truly are the biggest idiot I've ever met. You're also my hero."<br/>Akko didn't know how to take this, but involuntarily blused anyway.<br/>"Your relentless positivity has infected my soul. Remember when we first met? When we had to put on that stupid parade? And instead you turned it into a spectacle and a statement? Or when you achieved a similar effect at Samhain? I remember. You changed my worldview. Out of bitter situations, you spread positivity wherever you go. I. Love. You."<br/>Akko almost passed out, unable to handle this much praise from someone so unexpected. <br/>To Joanna, "I'll keep this brief because we're not well-acquainted, but Amanda cares about you, and as such, I would die for you. Don't ever be afraid. You're wonderful."<br/>Joanna wasn't sure how to respond to this, either. It was so surreal to hear this girl speak from the heart.<br/>And she finally turned back to the professor. "You have a lot of hate in your heart, Croix. But we all do. Let it fuel us. Rage against those who want us to disappear. But let that serve the function of love. You've got so much more of that. A believing heart, and all of that?"<br/>"Yes... I hope..." Croix could only whisper. "I hope..."<br/>"Let spite serve you, but let your primary drive serve all. You may think that you're acting purely out of spite, but it's not true. Because there's something that you love far, far more, isn't there? That outweighed the hate last time. The reason why we're really doing this. What do you love, Croix?"<br/>"I..." <em>No. Stop hesitating</em>. "I love my wife. And I'm proud of that. I'm proud of every queer person. I'm proud of my students. You guys. And..." <em>Second year</em>. "Yes! I'm proud that we're all still here! That I'm still here! That I changed! That I found meaning again! That there are people who care! And who I care about more than anything in the world! Of course I want to continue my existance, because of the people that I share it with! My life is worth living!!!<br/>The closed laptop began to spark and rattle again, thrashing on the desk, something trying to escape. Constanze ran to grab it and keep it shut. But she could still feel it, writhing in there, trying to unleash hell.<br/>"What's happening?!" cried Akko, as Constanze and Croix looked to each-other in a monent of mutual acknowledgement. <br/>"The beast inside..." Croix began to explain. "It's a creature that thrives on negative emotions. It mustn't be able to handle the positivity... I don't even know if I can. My feelings are all over the place..."<br/>"It must be trying to get out, right?" Joanna asked.<br/>"Yes..." Constanze responded. "And I say that we let it out. Give it what it wants. And that's my final line. You never heard me speak." <br/>"We can't just let it out here!" Akko protested, terrified of the consequences. "It'll have space to move, and cause havoc, and escape and hurt people!"<br/>"That's why we're not doing it here, genius," riposted Croix, assuming that to be obvious.<br/>The laptop continued to shake, trying to force itself open, but was no match for Constanze's strength and a converted Stanbot, taking the form of a powerful metal clamp to force it's compliance. Now there were only slight tremors.<br/>"Then where?!"<br/>"The one place secure enough!" Croix had rediscovered her frightening, manic spirit, cackling like the Witch she was proud to be. "Hey, Salem!" she seemed to laugh to herself. "I wonder if you know what's going on, you asshole cat?! I'm coming home!!!" It felt good.</p><p>Akko, since arriving at Luna Nova, had always known in her heart that it wasn't just her magic that would position people against her, but she had never wanted to think about it. It didn't matter anymore. She had the people she needed. The truth was rough, but she would get through it.</p><p><em>Keep on living</em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This took quite a while to get out. It might be a while before the next due to me slipping back into some bad mental health stuff, and University weighing down on me. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed. I still have insecurities about the prose, bit I'm feeling a little more confident.</p><p>Notes:<br/>- Iceland still use gendered surnames. Joanna has a complicated relationship with it. Like Croix, she doesn't want to change it, because it holds personal significance.<br/>- The figure of "Gwen" is a reference to the character Dark Sun Gwyndolin from the Dark Souls series, and I love her too much not to play around with the lore a bit. My other big project involves her, so I like to shout her out a lot.<br/>- Towerfall is a real game and it's great and very hard!<br/>- Madeline Celeste actually is playable in Towerfall, albeit only on the Switch version, so maybe Constanze modded it in for Diana.<br/>- If you know why Celeste would be Diana's favourite game, then you know, and if you don't, then PLEASE PLAY IT - IT'S INCREDIBLE!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Breaking Point</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Diana searches for Akko. Croix comes home. Sucy is Sucy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content Warning: One use of malicious misgendering, some bloody violence, drugs and their influence (used for comedic purposes) and in accordance with the rules I have set for myself with the T rating, the story's one F-Bomb.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>2017</strong>
</p><p>"What a sorry state of things," Anne observed as a pair of Interior Ministry enforcers dispatched by Dorlin shifted through the wreckage of Meridies's laboratory. <br/>"There's so much..." Miranda gasped as she beheld the dozens of broken machinery parts, smashed-up sorcery units, and grey hollowed-out cubes strewn across the floor. The power outage, surge, and subsequent explosion must have done much of the work here, but the fighting that had taken place couldn't have helped matters.<br/>Donovan, one of the enforcers, rummaged around the toppled shelves and cupboards, their contents mainly consisting of shattered vials and broken routers. "The ministry doesn't look kindly upon this proliferation of technology," he said, robotically, as if he had just been instructed to repeat these points. "And under the opposition, these impurities could be enabled to continue to ravage magic."<br/>"Precisely, officer," agreed Finnelan. "This nonsense must be quarantined."<br/>This made Miranda immensely sad. Whilst it was true that Croix had been reckless and irresponsible in her position, the fuel that this had poured on the raging fire that was the "debate" over the advancement of magic would do no good for anyone. <br/>"I will be submitting a complaint, Headmistress," Finnelan added. "Regarding your behaviour."<br/>"Me? What did I do?"<br/>"With all due respect, Headmistress, the rot can all be traced back to you. The drop in standards. The decline in outside approval. Those infernal children."<br/>"Infernal children?"<br/>Finnelan came closer and looked down upon the little old woman, regarding her with contempt. "Your approval of that dangerous boy, enabling this nonsense from the beginning - and then approving a <em>teaching position</em>?! Shameful. As far as I'm concerned, it was you that almost destroyed us."<br/>Holbrooke looked up, dead-eyed, returning the contempt towards Anne's low-blow. "Hold your tongue, Professor. I have made many mistakes, but as you may have noticed, the world is changing. Something incredible just happened thanks to your deemed Problem Children."<br/>"The world and integrity of magic was preserved by Diana Cavendish. Your mistake of Kagari is also a mark against your name as Headmistress."<br/>"Your comments are noted," Miranda sighed. She had been forced to put up with a lot of Finnelan's most inflammatory attitudes for a while, and faculty meetings were never particularly pleasant whenever she opened her mouth to spout whatever regressive doctrine she had in mind on any particular day. Usually something that could be related to criticising Croix or Miss Kagari.<br/>"What on earth..." Smith, the other officer, gasped as he retrieved a set of blueprints that had been preserved under the fallen wooden stand. Donovan, Holbrooke and Finnelan converged on his position and the four poured over the diagrams and instructions. It seemed to be schematics for Croix's sentient cubes that she was often seen with, apparently called "Pixels".<br/>"Fascinating..." Donovan observed. "These seemed to have played a significant part in Meridies' activities."<br/>"Yes... they seem to be related to spikes of intense emotion around their vicinity. That explains their presence around the riots," was Smith's hypothesis. <br/>"I have been familiar with Miss Croix's work since she was young," confessed Miranda. "I believe that they have multiple settings. The most prominent of which seems to be defined by the emotions of the host. The power surge... she must have found a way to bind them to large groups, to power them using the riots..."<br/>"And you never regarded Meridies with any suspicion," Finnelan snidely remarked. "I was correct in all of my assumptions. Bad news from the beginning. You didn't listen."<br/>"Your reasons were nothing to do with the actual problem."<br/>"These problems intersect, Miranda. It's a pity you cannot recognise that."<br/>"I expect a full report of the findings," Miranda could only respond, as she turned and left the mess behind her, tired and sorrowful as she passed the great doors and disappeared into the darkness beyond.<br/><em>Pathetic</em>. Holbrooke was too soft in her old age, reflected Anne. In order for the integrity of magic to be maintained, Luna Nova would require new leadership. They needed leadership that would not have time for those who forsook their sacred traditions. Naturally, Finnelan supposed that it should be her. <br/>Everything had made sense to her once the truth was revealed. The troublesome Chariot Du Nord had been under their noses the whole time, shaming the magical community with her frivilous ambitions. It made sense that she would have been Kagari's tutor, enabling the same delusions that had shamed them so, made even worse by some particular information that she had discovered regarding the foolish child. And of course, Croix Meridies, a perpetual thorn in her side. Thankfully, the Italian would be incarcerated for the immediate future, but knowing Holbrooke... it would only be a matter of time before the demon returned to shame them a third time over. She would need to be prepared.<br/>"Gentlemen," she addressed to the officers. "Finish up your sweep, and leave no stone unturned. I too want a full report, as well as a copy of everything Meridies ever wrote down in this room. That includes the schematics, for which I will be studying to prevent further crimes. In the interest of national security, of course."<br/>"Yes, Ma'am," they responded, as she turned and proceeded to leave in the same manner as their pitiful headmistress.<br/><br/>Amanda, in the present, lay on the bottom bunk, as bored as ever. There was no-one to speak to, and she sure as hell wasn't going to be studying right now. <br/>She wondered about how much luck her friends were having going about their business. At the very least, they all had something to look forward to. They would get the people that they needed. Eventually.<br/>She felt something damp drip and patter onto her head. <br/><em>What</em>...?<br/>She looked up to find a bright purple liquid seeping through the above mattress, staining her bed as she dodged and rolled out of it, her face meeting the ground with a crash. By this point, it had happened so many times that she was mostly numb to any shock or pain. Must be how Akko felt.<br/>It turned out that her view of there being no-one to speak to was accurate to a greater degree than she had supposed, because Sucy resided in the top bunk, mixing formulas between vials. Amanda tried anyway.<br/>"SUCY!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" <br/>Sucy looked at Amanda, and then noticed the hole that had been burned below her in the mattress. "Oh..." <br/>"Yeah, 'oh'. What are you even doing in here?"<br/>"Jas said I could have her bunk whilst she's working. Art with Lotte or something. I'm waiting for Constanze. We need to talk."<br/>Amanda stared blankly. "Are you sure Constanze wants to talk?"<br/>"I'll get it out of her. I can be very persuasive." <br/>Amanda chose to ignore this rather than consider the implications for even a moment. "How did I not notice you on the top bunk when I came in?!"<br/>"Oh, I turned invisible. You know how it is. Didn't want to disturb you."<br/>"Well, you failed at that. What's that freaky potion you're brewing, anyway?"<br/>Sucy quickly pointed to the top of Amanda's head. "It does that." <br/>"Huh?"<br/>The door swung open, and in shambled a most unexpected trio, far from what seemed to be their peak condition. Akko had seen better days, rubbing her neck where there appeared to be faint red marks imprinted - and the same was true for Professor Croix, baring numerous bruises and scratches across her face. Coming around them, clutching what seemed to be a laptop encased in a metallic shell, shaking viciously as if it were alive, was Constanze, keeping a tight grip on the machine. She was relatively calm and unscathed, but the other two were gasping for air and trying to gain their bearings. <br/>Amanda was incredulous. "Conz?"<br/>Constanze was also looking up at the top of her head. A small red spotted mushroom had sprouted from where she had been caught under the bunk. Akko tried to hold back laughter upon noticing this, compounded with the shrugging Sucy on the top bunk.<br/>"Hi, Sucy!"<br/>"Hey, Akko. How are you doing?"<br/>"We've got to rip a demon out of a laptop - usual Professor Croix class, if you think about it - so we're going below to the safest place to do so."<br/>"Oh... ok. Have fun." Sucy was past all of this. Let the idiots clean up whatever mess they had inevitably made this time. She was more focused on the results of her latest endeavour, watching Amanda intently. <br/>"Oh, for..." Croix wasn't in the mood for any nonsense, approaching Amanda, and in a flash, plucked the mushroom from her hair. <br/>"Owwww!!!" cried Amanda. "What the hell was... oh..."<br/>Croix held out the mushroom so that Amanda could see, before tapping her on the temple twice with her wand, suddenly making the rebel feel much better, eradicating the dull pain from where the fungi had been.<br/>"Huh... neat..." marvelled Amanda, before turning to Sucy. "What the hell, Sucy?!"<br/>"Hey, it was an accident. Go easy..."<br/>"Manbavaran..." muttered Croix, "Lukic has been suggesting a crackdown on out of class experiments." She tossed the mushroom up to Sucy, who thankfully caught it with both hands, holding it close to her chest to keep it safe. "Don't make the Science Team look bad. None of us want Constanze punished."<br/>Constanze's face lit up as she grinned from ear to ear. Croix was in her debt now.<br/>"Ok, fine, I'll be careful..." conceded Sucy. "Hey Akko, you sleeping yet?"<br/>Akko panicked upon hearing her name again, but quickly adjusted. "Uh... not yet! Within a few days things should be normal, though."<br/>"Excellent..." she tittered.<br/>Joanna stumbled into the room, panting as she immediately collapsed against the wall to regain her faculties and her breath. "You people are maniacs!!! MANIACS!!!" she shouted, repeating until she was hoarse. <br/>"Joanna!" Amanda ran towards her friend. "What happened?!"<br/>"We got... attacked by a monster... and then they ran over here for some reason. I tried to keep up but... I ended up getting an extreme workout..."<br/>"We're in a hurry!" protested Akko. "It's not our fault you're a slowcoach."<br/>She was not.<br/>Joanna jumped to her feet and advanced towards Akko. "You wanna say that again, huh, Kagari?!"<br/>On second thoughts, not really. "Ok, sorry..." She shrank back.<br/>"Hey! No fighting!" commanded Croix, regaining her authority as teacher. Joanna stopped glaring and turned, the professor having everyone's full attention. "We are here because we face a serious problem: the laptop that you can see Constanze and Stanbot holding onto for dear life has been possessed by what we assume to to be a stray remnant of... um..." her tone took a turn for the apologetic, "...you know."<br/>"FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, CROIX!!!" Amanda yelled, understanding perfectly. "So we're once again being attacked by the same tech that you used to try to murder us?!"<br/>"Well, I think 'murder' is a strong term... Science is a risky field, and my experiments were regrettable, but I was never going to actually let you-"<br/>"Goddamnit, you're all so pedantic. You're the lamest people on earth, you know that?! How do I put up with all you weirdos...?" Amanda shot a quick glance towards Joanna. "Not you Joanna, you're cool."<br/>Joanna gave a sigh of relief, as Croix continued after being so rudely interrupted.<br/>"Yes! I know! I'm an asshole! But I'm not responsive for this. The prevailing theory regards someone else using it, and we'll get to that. But first, we need to get it out before we can argue over whose fault it is!"<br/>"Admittedly," Sucy casually interjected, in between chewing something, "it kind of does all go back to being your fault."<br/>"Yeah, you're probably correct," admitted Croix. "But regardless, we have a job to do!"<br/>Sucy swallowed. "Yeah... I'm not gonna be much use to you down there. My hypothesis is that I'll be as high as a broom within the next five minutes or so."<br/>"How come?" asked Amanda.<br/>"Oh, I just ate the mushroom."<br/>"What the hell, man?! That's a piece of me!"<br/>"Well someone's gotta do it." <br/>Amanda looked around the room as everyone stared blankly, no-one sure what to make of any of this, before turning back to an apathetic, shrugging Sucy. "Uhh..." she managed weakly. "Did it at least, uh... taste good...?"<br/>Sucy gave her typical matter-of-fact response. "Not at all."<br/><br/>Seated by the window in the art studio, Jasminka continued to sketch Luna Nova's three-pointed insignia that she was busy integrating extra points into in an effort to redesign it into something more resembling the theme. She worked on adding the associated lines and dashes for male, female, and genderqueer into the centre circle, amalgamating a transgender symbol into the school's iconography for the occasion. She hoped that Akko and Diana would appreciate. <br/>Across from her, Lotte stood, wielding a paintbrush, facing the canvas. It was about half-complete, having painted the likenesses of her spirits against the backdrop of a beautiful forest, accentuating the chestnut-like proportions of their heads for a heightened cutesy effect that she knew Akko would like, the sparse rays of sunlight piercing through the trees and illuminating the various creatures. She was working on colour-coding them. One already found itself painted various shades of orange, white and pink. A spirit to bless all lesbians. She hoped that it was enough to make her friends happy.<br/>Lotte considered what to do next, so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the graceful tapping of Diana's encroaching footsteps behind her.<br/>"Lotte..." <br/>She did, however, hear Diana's unmistakably calming voice, and turned.<br/>"H-hi Diana!" It was always a little awkward to talk to her best friend's girlfriend, even after all these years.<br/>Diana smiled. "Hello Lotte. Are you doing alright as of late?"<br/>"I think so... I'm working on some pride art!" She gestured towards her incomplete painting, and Diana was taken aback.<br/>"W-wow... you're very talented. I appreciate the sapphic spirt. I suppose Amanda would call it an 'eternal mood'. Well done, Lotte."<br/>Lotte blushed and turned away. <br/>"U-uh, so... what's going on...?"<br/>Diana herself was somewhat embarassed at even needing to ask, but here she was. "I'm... looking for Akko." She pointed to Professor Ursula, who must have also slipped in undetected, talking to Jasminka. "She never showed up after Linguistics, so I got worried. Phone signal was down, too." Diana seemed mildly worried. <br/>Urusla and Jasminka had clearly finished their conversation in no time at all, as both left their seats and approached. <br/>"I brought Jasminka up to speed. Did you, Diana?" asked Ursula, betraying a degree of panic in her tone.<br/>"Yes. I did. Lotte? Do you know anything?"<br/>That was blunt.<br/>"U-uh, no. Not really... I'm sorry..." She bowed apologetically, causing Diana to draw back and turn to Jasminka, mouthing her numerous questions.<br/>"She does it with everyone, don't worry about it," the lilac pigtailed girl explained. "And... I'm very sorry, too. I haven't seen them."<br/>Diana put a reassuring hand on both girls' shoulders. "It's ok... you've done nothing wrong."<br/>With her sleeve, Lotte wiped away what seemed to be a single tear. "Is Akko... in danger?" she whispered, beginning to quiver on the spot.<br/>"We really hope not..." Ursula responded, her state seeming to heighten along with Lotte, alternating between her index and ring finger as she involuntarily tapped at her leg.<br/>"Please, everyone, remain calm." Diana, naturally, seized the situation, her authoritative yet soothing voice alleviating the panic from all. "Lotte, Akko is going to be ok. Professor, nothing can be worse than before. She's fine. I know it. Jas, you're... actually you're handling this alright."<br/>The girls and the professor gathered around the central table.<br/>"Ok..." Ursula began. "Me and Diana figured that we should ask Croix, but I couldn't get hold of her either. The distressing thing is that we checked her classroom, and found... well..."<br/>"Explosive residue, scratches, and burns across the blackboard," finished Diana. "So we're quite concerned."<br/>"Oh no..." Lotte pined, holding her collar with both hands. "Is that all we know?"<br/>"That's why we came here," Ursula explained. "So you girls don't know anything more? A message from Akko, perhaps? Maybe you've seen a roomba around? Anything that could lead us to them."<br/>"Wait... Constanze must be with them," posited Jasminka. "She never came to art club, and I think she had a lesson with Akko..."<br/>"Interesting..." Diana mused, scratching her chin inquisitively, emulating a more professional demeanor than the state of panic that she was tempted to display. "Is there anyone else of the Nine whose location we're certain of?"<br/><em>The Nine</em>... Ursula was still somewhat embarassed by this nickname due to the context, and it was often used vaguely because her and Croix and Hannah and Barbara as the final two seemed to be interchangeable depending on the circumstances. Oh well. The students liked it.<br/>"Yes!" piped up Jasminka. "I leant our room to Sucy whilst we were over here! Amanda might be there too!"<br/>"Good. We have connections there, at least," began Diana. "Could Constanze be down in her workshop...?"<br/>"Oh no..." whispered Ursula, turning heads towards her.<br/>"What...?" asked Lotte, her own anxiety once again rising.<br/>"Croix used to go down there during emergencies... when we were kids..."<br/>"Then let's go!!!" Diana announced, her tone now permitting the desperation to show. "Something terrible could be happening!"<br/>Without a second thought, Diana took off, the others hastily following suit.<br/><br/>Deep within the underground worshop, Constanze tentatively placed her laptop down on the desk, and removed the Stanbot clamp, returning to it's default state and hopping onto her shoulder. <br/>Croix held the side of her head as a dull sting permeated, supposing that she had come under with a case of motion sickness after the high-speed minecart trip. Back in her day, she had to traverse the dark twisting guts of the underground on foot when she made her way to her heart of operations. Oh well. It shaved off time. <br/>Besides the different placement of supplies and stacks of crates, as well as an opening into a set of docks that had not been there before, Croix was surprised by how similar the workshop was to how she had left it. There were probably one or two other teams that must have also inhabited this place between 2007 and 2017, so she was impressed by the integrity of what was essentially her sacred place being maintained. <br/>Amanda had armed herself with a broadsword that Constanze had stowed away (why the small girl owned one was anyone's guess), the owner transforming Stanbot into it's shotgun configuration again. Constanze was more than ready to finish this loathsome job. Croix and Akko were somewhat embarassed to be woefully unprepared for the danger that presented itself.<br/>"Akko, how's your elephant?" asked Croix.<br/>"Perfect," she replied, proudly. <br/>"Good. You may need to turn into one to weigh it down if the opportunity presents itself."<br/>Akko didn't know if she should be offended by this, and as such, kept her mouth zipped shut.<br/>Joanna had remained topside in the dorm room to take care of and watch Sucy in order to make sure that she didn't spiral out of control under the influence of mushrooms. In these trying times, a heightened Sucy could bury them all, and as such needed eyes on her.<br/>Croix, headache subsiding, drew her wand and nervously approached the laptop. Running her other hand across the surface, ready to unlock it, she outlined the circumstances.<br/>"Ok girls. Thank you for helping to fix yet another mess I'm responsible for. This must be... the third or fourth, I think? I don't know. I didn't count. Regardless, the thing inside this laptop is powered purely by hatred, and as such, is extremely dangerous."<br/>"Great design, genius..." quipped Amanda, eliciting a brief glare from the professor. <br/>"Ignoring Miss O'Neill's most insightful commentary, the Pixel that has taken possession of Constanze's machine is not bound to me. As such, I can't control it. However, possessing a laptop, more specifically a device with a USB port, makes this a little easier." Croix pulled her wand apart at the stem, revealing a USB drive embedded within. Akko recalled that Lotte had similarly customised her wand for the function. She plugged it in to the side of the laptop, placed the handle aside on the desk, and continued. "I can use this to overload it with energy that should drive the Pixel out, and then, you know the rest."<br/>Constanze pumped her shotgun with malicious intent, as Amanda momentarily betrayed her usual coolheaded, apathetic demeanour with a slight nervous twitch. This little girl terrified her more than any monster could.<br/>"Is this safe, Professor Croix?" was Akko's only question.<br/>"Absolutely not," she answered curtly. "But if everyone sticks together, we'll be alright." She retrieved a rusty lead pipe from one of the open crates, and primed herself. <br/>Croix opened the laptop, and stepped back.<br/>"Everyone behind me," she instructed, as she raised the pipe like a baseball bat, anticipating the coming strike. "If anyone gets hurt, it's going to be me. It had better be me. Maintain formation."<br/>Akko drew her own wand, terrified of what was about to happen, holding her breath as her heart rate shot up.<br/>The dark crimson display of the monitor began to slowly fade in, as the tip of Croix's wand, plugged into the machine, began to illuminate a bright green. Was this the antidote?<br/>The monitor began to shake, before the cube shot out.<br/>"NOW!!!" shouted Croix just before the raging Pixel smacked her in the face, leaving a bloody gash across her cheek as Amanda and Akko broke formation. <br/>As it flew over her, Constanze unloaded several rounds into the air and then into the wall, splintering and breaking apart the wooden foundations as the Pixel dodged her shots, and went straight for Amanda.<br/>Amanda brought up her sword with both hands in an attempt to block it's advance, which at first seemed successful as the Pixel collided with the blade - but as a consequence only caused the blade to shatter, lodging a stray steel shard into Amanda's foot as she screamed in pain.<br/>"AMANDA!!!" cried Constanze as she tried to get a clear shot, her hands trembling as her aim followed the beast that circled around her wincing friend, practically daring her to take a shot. She had to pull back, and lower her weapon in defeat. Amanda needed attending.<br/>The Pixel flew across the room as it attempted to rejoin the computer, no doubt ready to increase the offensive with its tendrils; but Croix, anticipating this manoeuvre, dived into it's path. And hit a home run.<br/>Croix had diverted the Pixel's trajectory to a stack of crates that it crashed into at full impact, smashing the exterior of the middle crate and sending them all tumbling down, spilling their contents until it was buried under the combined weight of heavy wood and rare metals. <br/>Croix relaxed and dropped the pipe, the ear shattering clang of the impact somehow contributing more to her headache than the breaking of boxes, spilling of metals, or even gunshots. She turned to Amanda, who was having her wound dressed by Constanze as the dumbfounded Akko looked on.<br/>Croix needed to say something. "I'm so sorry, girls. I'm so, so sorry..."<br/>"Ugh... it's alright..." Amanda grunted, gritting her teeth as Constanze attempted to apply more bandages to stem the bloodloss.<br/>Croix was once again so wrapped up in her own guilt that she failed to notice the mess of crates and metals begin to rumble behind her. <br/>The Pixel, glowing the deepest and most hateful shade of blood-red that the girls had ever seen, burst out of it's tomb and drove itself with maximum-force into Croix's heel.<br/>She screamed and fell to her hands and knees, as it soared around her in a crescent motion, preparing for another strike. There was nothing she could do, not even brace for impact. She could only watch, completely powerless to stop what was coming.<br/>"Murowa!!!" a voice echoed across the warehouse, as a green bolt of concentrated magical energy struck the Pixel, blasting it apart, utterly obliterating it from the face of the earth.<br/>"Wha..." Croix looked to the direction of the spell's origin, and there she was: Akko Kagari, motionlessly holding up her wand, heavy smoke trailing from the tip, tears in her eyes as she dropped it, clattering against the hard marble floor. <br/>She ran to Croix and helped her to stand, but remained stony-faced and said nothing.<br/>"Nice... shot..." congratulated Amanda, proud of her friend, even though she could tell that Akko had taken no pleasure in it.<br/>"I'm sorry..." she mournfully apologised to all of them. "I should have acted sooner. This all happened because I'm useless... I'm still useless..."<br/>"I don't wanna hear that, idiot..." Amanda groaned, tired of how dour the mood was. She had the high ground here, after all. No-one could contest her wound. "You're pretty good. Pretty... good..." As she lay on the ground, she turned over and made a fingergun motion towards Akko, presumably as a sign of respect. "You're a real one, Akko."<br/>"You saved my life..." Croix reminded Akko, before wondering "...why do people keep saving my life... even after everything I'm responsible for...?"<br/>"Because..." managed Akko weakly. "You said it yourself, Professor... your life is worth living."<br/><br/>Ursula swung open the door to her old dorm room, and was met with the predictably bizzare display that she had come to expect from her students.<br/>"Oh, what the...?" began Diana as she too looked upon the work, and despaired.<br/>Sucy was... dancing. She was evidently no stranger to the broom dance, as Akko had told her, but Diana couldn't help but be embarassed for her as she continued to flip the broom, moving under, over, back, forth, side to side, and even briefly posed whilst holding it up like a proud knight brandishing their sword. The one other person not cringing was Joanna, entranced in the performance and snapping as many pictures as she could.<br/>"Sucy!!!" Lotte ran over to her and snatched the broom, as Jasminka giggled at the commotion.<br/>"What was that for...?" drawled Sucy, telling Lotte all she needed to know.<br/>"Are you on mushrooms again? You only dance when you're on mushrooms."<br/>"Yes... she is..." admitted Joanna. "She got really lively, and started insisting that I helped her to kick off her 'modelling career' and made me take pictures of... bizzare poses. Then two minutes later she changed her mind and started singing, before she started dancing. I actually think that the dance was wonderful! Anyways, she was mouthing off about a lot of things. Wanting to sing. Wanting to dance. Wanting to blow things up. Get into the narcotics trade. Spit on the world. Read Nightfall. That sort of thing."<br/>"Oh no..." despaired Lotte, the colour fading from her face. "The Forbidden Sucys are seeping through again."<br/>"What...?" asked an incredulous Diana. <br/>"Very long story..." Lotte responded, before her attention was drawn to a series of footsteps coming from under the floorboards. <br/>Ursula knew that sound.<br/>Constanze's bed flipped at 90 degrees and pressed against the wall to serve as a door that now hid a set of stairs. Out of the darkness first came Croix, scratched and bloodied, limping on one leg, the other dragging across the floor, with one arm draped around Akko's shoulder, so that the girl could help her to walk and ease the professor's journey. Croix heaved, and let go of Akko, practically falling into the chair at her old desk.<br/>"Chariot... I miss our cat..." she mumbled to herself, head down.<br/>"Croix!!!" Ursula rushed towards her wife and went to hold her, if not for Croix putting an arm up in protest. <br/>"You don't want to see me like this..."<br/>Before Ursula could say anything, the next arrival came. Constanze. Holding onto Amanda's hand as she steadily guided the injured girl up the steps.<br/>"Thanks, Conz..." Amanda remarked, before staggering towards her bed and laying down. "Don't worry... I'm ok..."<br/>"Your leg is bandaged!" Diana shouted. "What happened to you all down there?!"<br/>Akko could only respond with her default non-answer. "It's a long story..."<br/>"Akko..." asked Lotte slowly. "Why... are there bruises and scratches around your neck...?"<br/>"What..." whispered Diana, now laser-focused on Akko's neck.<br/>Concerned for her friend and the professor, Akko had completely forgotten about her own wounds sustained during the first attack. "Oh..." She rubbed her neck as Diana slowly approached her.<br/>Joanna pulled up a chair to Amanda's bedside, and clasped her hand. "Why do you... keep getting yourself into... so much trouble...?" she sighed. <br/>"It's in my blood, I guess..." a weary Amanda attempted to glibly resond, but she was evidently too tired to go through with anything clever. <br/>Staring at Joanna as she clutched Amanda's hand, Croix allowed herself a bittersweet smile. "Remember when you broke your leg trying to fly a Sorcery Unit, Ursula...?"<br/>The redhead remember, and reciprocated the smile. "Yes... you sat by my bedside for days, holding my hand just like that... how could I ever forget?" <br/>"Third year was fun," smirked Croix, before her momentary nostalgia was intrustively pushed away by the sad, bitter memories of times past. "What the hell happened to us all...?"<br/>Sucy, beginning to regain her faculties, recognised Constanze, sliding over to her. "Hey, Constanze... you ok...?"<br/>Constanze nodded sadly, the Stanbot on her shoulder clearing up any ambiguity. "Miss Constanze is grateful to be mostly unscathed, and that no-one is dead. However, she worries about her friends, including Miss Manbavaran."<br/>Sucy half-smiled, before ruffling the other girl's hair, which for reasons the grinning Amanda recognised, Constanze didn't object to. <br/>"We're all gonna be ok, you sweet little worryhead..." assured Sucy, with considerable affection. <br/>"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BUNK?!" another seldom-heard voice expressed with a passion that surprised the others.<br/>Sucy turned to Jasminka, currently despairing over the state of her bed. "Sorry..." Whether she actually was or not was beyond anyone, including Sucy.<br/>"Ok. That's enough, everyone," Diana called out, holding Akko's hand with assurance. "We need to establish the circumstances." She turned to the most obvious suspect. "Professor Croix, what on earth is going on? My friends are hurt. You're hurt. Akko is hurt. Remember what I promised? If this is your fault, I swear on Beatrix..."<br/>Croix looked to Diana, recognising the pain in her eyes. "It is my fault, I suppose..." she confessed. "At least partially..."<br/>"What does that even mean?!" demanded Diana, dropping all pretense of calmness, desperate for answers. "Croix, what does it mean?!" <br/>There was no use in holding it back anymore, she supposed.<br/><br/>The world was spinning for Diana upon hearing Croix's testimony, corroborated by Akko and Joanna. The interior ministry... the seizing of Croix's technology for unchecked, possibly sinister purposes... Finnelan... the twisted motivations... hurting Akko... combined with everything that Diana already knew...<br/><em>Hurting Akko</em>...<br/>Ursula had excused herself from the room, unable to stomach what she was hearing, with Constanze directing Stanbot to accompany and comfort her. Diana could hear a faint sobbing coming from outside.<br/>"I couldn't believe it either..." Akko added. "I knew that she didn't like me or the professor that much, but now..."<br/>Amanda's hands were balled into fists, a mix of horror and disbelief, and Lotte could only put her hand over her mouth in disgust.<br/>Diana's mind was a blur as she repeatedly cycled through the events that had led them all to this point, before she turned to infuriating thoughts of Finnelan and whatever other ghouls she was working with laughing at their suffering, mocking their existance, and intentionally sending a killing machine after Akko and lord-knew who else.<br/><em>Akko</em>...<br/>Akko had been under the boot of these people for so long, and she hadn't even fully known.<br/>She looked to Croix. What a disaster. After what she had learned about her, Diana couldn't help but feel terrible for her. Maybe not for who she became during the incident, but at least for the child that she was. Diana knew that it wasn't her fault. It was no use blaming the professor. <br/>There was someone else to blame. The rotten core of Luna Nova. The force of regression. An enemy that had revealed it's true hand, and hurting Akko only proved the depths of depravity that they would sink to.<br/><em>Hurting... Akko</em>...<br/>Diana's world ceased it's spinning. Her thoughts were clear.<br/>Akko grew concerned with the blank expression on her girlfriend's face, her usually vibrant blue eyes reduced to dull pits of nothingness. <br/>"Diana...?" she asked nervously as she slowly approached her.<br/>Diana's eyes came alive and found Akko's neck once again, something warm and salty beginning to gather as she forced herself to stare. If Constanze hadn't saved her, then she would be... she would be...<br/>Diana couldn't allow this to continue. This time their adversary had crossed the line.</p><p>"<strong>I'll FUCKING KILL HER!!!</strong>"</p><p>And before anyone could react, Diana hastily took her leave, the door slamming behind her.  <br/>"Diana!!!" cried Akko as she rushed to the door, attempting to pull back the handle. It was no use. Diana must have immediately used magic to reinforce the door. They were trapped. <br/>Akko, reaching what may have been the state of ultimate despair, repeatedly slammed her fist against the door until her knuckles were red with pain. "Diana!!! Diana, please!!!"<br/>It was too late.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don't really know how to feel about this one. I hope that the writing was at least ok. My two insecurities regard the prose, of course, which I hope was at least adequate (I'm willing to accept criticism); and a worry over tonal dissonance. The chapter was originally going to be largely comedy-focused, but the writing took me where it took me.</p><p>We're reaching the climax - not the ending, which we're not yet at, but the climax.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Reasonable Debate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A memory of a time long past. Akko seeks a way out. Diana confronts Finnelan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Massive Content Warning: Vile, vile, vile transphobia. Seriously, the TERF language is on full display here. Also intersects with misogyny, homophobia, ableism, and a mention of suicide used in a cruel context. There is also some discussion of grief, and "outing", so take care. Also another F-drop.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Was it just after I turned the squirrel into a bunny for the first time...? 2008, was it...? Some time around then...? My mind misgives...</em><br/>Under the afterglow of the warm summer's evening, the little girl ran laughing through the Wedinburgh country moorlands, grass whipping against her ankles as she clutched her fluffy prize. They were going to be so proud. She was going to be a witch, just like Beatrix, just like Mother. Just like Chariot. After months of hard work and dedication, she had finally proven that she could be what was considered impossible. What she had considered impossible. Not that something as trivial as odds were going to stop her.<br/>The grown-ups sat at a table in the garden at the foot of the Cavendish manor. Four of them, all drinking tea and discussing something, no doubt boring grown-up things. Diana had something much more pressing in mind.<br/>"Mummy! Look what I did! Look what I did!" she called out, running towards her wheelchair-bound mother and thrusting the bunny into her arms.<br/>Bernadette smiled and stroked it with affection. "Diana... I'm so proud of you. You're an amazing witch." She stopped for a moment to cough, her fragile frame struggling to sit up straight.<br/>"Mummy...?"<br/>"I'm ok... I'm so... proud of you..." <br/>"Isn't it a little late for a child like you to be out practising magic? You know what they say about the monsters..." warned Aunt Daryl, as condescending as ever.<br/>"Why is it too late?" Diana pouted. "Andrew gets to be here!"<br/>The nine-year old Andrew, already fitted uncomfortably into a suit and attending upon his father's insistence, shifted on the spot. <br/>"Andrew is older than you," informed Paul Hanbridge, who seemed to be the primary instigator of this meeting. "He must learn the ways of politics and how to be a real man. This is educational for him. We can't all hold onto the outdated practises of witchcraft."<br/>"They are not outdated!" Diana objected. "You'll see! I'll be a witch like Chariot!"<br/>Daryl sneered, and before tensions could further rise, Bernadette took control of the situation. <br/>"Oh Paul, it is awfully late. Let the children be children for a day." <br/>"But-" <br/>"Paul. Let Andrew play with Diana. Go inside, children. It's better that-" She erupted into another coughing fit.<br/>"Mummy!" cried Diana, rushing over to hug her. <br/>"No... It's ok... It's ok..." she spluttered. "Please go inside. Remember sweetie, I'm so very proud of you..." <br/>Bernadette weakly ran her hand over the bunny's head a few more times before gently handing it back over to Diana. "Treasure it always..."<br/>"I'd rather my son not pick up any fanciful ideas from your child, Bernadette. It would be best for his future to stay out here," asserted Paul, spoken like a true politician. <br/>"I... don't really want to..." admitted Andrew, finally speaking up.<br/>Paul put up a finger, about to retort, but Daryl of all people came to their defense. "No, Paul. Bernie is right. Your kid isn't your clone. Let him be. Children, go inside."<br/>Bernadette smiled at her sister's surprising rationality, before turning once again to her daughter. "What about you, sweetie?"<br/>"I'm very tired..." Diana admitted. "I want to show Bunny my room!" She noted Andrew. "And he can come if he likes, I guess. Just no touching my things!"<br/>Bernadette chose to make a point to the defeated Paul, that she was sure he would appreciate. "Democracy, Paul. You're overruled. That's politics, isn't it?"<br/>Paul lit a cigar and let out a puff of smoke that trailed into Daryl's face before she wafted it away with annoyance. "You really do know how to twist things, you Cavendishes... fine."<br/>"Yay!!!" cried the little girl. She would have thrown her hands up in the air if it wasn't for the delicate creature nestled in her arms. "Come on, Andrew - I have so much to show you!"<br/>"If it's magic, don't bother..." the boy muttered, finally abandoning his seat with a degree of relief.<br/>The two made their way through the front double doors, to be greeted by Anna, wordlessly bowing on her own way out. She seemed to going somewhere.<br/>"You don't have to bow, Anna..." Diana laughed. "You're part of our family!"<br/>"I believe it to be customary for servants addressing nobles. Father taught me," Andrew informed her, as Diana's smile faded.<br/>"Sir. Ma'am." Anna exited through the doors they had arrived through, presumably to join the meeting, if it was her place.<br/>Diana turned to Andrew. "That was so mean!"<br/>"It's just the way things are," he coldly responded. <br/>"Well I don't like the way things are."<br/>Andrew stared at his cousin with a look of amusement. "I noticed. You never could just accept things, could you? Father says it's ridiculous."<br/>Diana didn't particularly care what mean old Paul Hanbridge had to say about anything, but part of her did care about what his son thought. "And what is it you think?"<br/>"I..." Andrew paused. "I... think there are better places to discuss this. Let us be off."<br/>Diana ran her fingers a few more times through the Bunny's luscious fur. <br/><em>I remember... yes... what an interesting talk we had...</em><br/><br/>The needy Hannah and Barbara were on their way to Akko's room, presuming it to be the most likely place for Diana to be, before their furious friend unexpectedly turned a corner and wordlessly stormed past them. Hannah tried to call out to her, needing some advice on an assignment, before Barbara placed her hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. This communicated what was needed, but an air of dread continued to hang over them both.<br/>The two of them turned the corner, and found the sorry display of a desperate Professor Ursula, as she tried to push open what seemed to be Amanda's door, and failing miserably. She drove her foot into the door in a futile attempt to force it to open, only to grunt through clenched teeth and hop on the spot, holding her leg in pain. <br/>"Damnit!" she cursed. "She's too strong for her own good..." <br/>Ahead, Diana passed a multitude of students through the corridor, thankfully largely ignoring her as she made her way along. At the height of her rage, any attempts to hold a conversation with her would prove fruitless at best, and actively dangerous at worst. Such a dilemma presented itself upon turning the next corner to find Wangari and Kimberly conversing a few doors away from Finnelan's office.<br/><em>Not a chance</em>.<br/>Diana turned before they could accost her and resolved to take the scenic route. There shouldn't be many people that way. As such, she took the winding spiral staircase following from an opening to the left of the corridor. She didn't often use this route, but it would prove sufficient in maintaining her anonymity. <br/>Descending the steps, carefully keeping her hand glued to the rail as to avoid any Akko-esq accidents, she was passed by Gaelle, who briefly shot her a concerned look upon witnessing her complexion, but decided to carry on with her business. Subconsciously, Diana may have wished for someone to take notice and talk it out with her, but it was better for her to take care of this herself. It was her proverbial cross to bear, and it was better for everyone that way. Right?<br/>Completing her descent, Diana left the stairwell through the emergency fire exit. She supposed that her situation warranted the classification as an emergency, as the cool autumnal wind washed over her. Despite her most unfortunate state, it was a pleasant reprieve after the hot summer and the even more heated circumstances of the recent weeks, and she took a moment to bask in the mercifully moderate sun, just peeking behind the clouds. Summers used to be so pleasant, at least before Mother had died. Now they were a cruel reminder of times long passed.<br/>Hands stuffed in her pockets, she wandered the sports field, still cooling down under the kind seasonal climate. The trees she passed were beginning to lose their leaves, which after being one of the witches to restore Yggdrasil, somewhat saddened her, but she reminded herself that all would be renewed in time, and it brought her comfort. They just had to keep changing, and with a degree of luck, they would all keep on living.<br/>Weary, Diana seated herself on a bench under one of these decaying trees, and looked out to the field. No-one else was around, which was preferable under the circumstances. She may have yearned for an understanding person to guide her through the unbearable demons feasting on her heart, but she knew that right now, there was no point in conversing with other humans.<br/>As if reading her mind, an oversized crow landed on the edge of the bench, flapping it's white wings and cawing obnoxiously, proudly showing off the golden four pointed star across it's belly. <br/>"Now is not the time, Alcor..." <br/>Ursula's familiar lowered his head, disappointed, but didn't leave. As Diana continued to sit for a while, she turned back to the bird, who seemed to be regarding her curiously. <br/>"Did Professor Ursula send you?"<br/>Alcor shook his head. It appeared that he was here of his own volition. He cawed with a subtly different inflection, which Diana suspected must have been the verbalised answer.<br/>"I'm very sorry... I'm not particularly proficient in Crow. I'm going to work on studying it, but right now there's not much use to us speaking. I feel so useless..."<br/>Alcor hopped over and with his beak, prodded her arm, Diana taking the opportunity to pick him up with both hands and stroke his gorgeous feathers. The bird didn't put up any resistance. <br/>"Thank you... I don't really know what's happening to me. It's all reached the point of being too much..."<br/>He cawed affectionately, and Diana smiled, having no idea what he was saying, but picking up on the tone. <br/>"Yes... me too..." she shot in the dark, hoping not to miss. "You know, Akko still sleeps with a plush toy modelled after you."<br/>Alcor seemed to roll his eyes, as Diana couldn't help but giggle like a little girl again. "Not that I'm one to judge," she admitted, "I confess to still feeling the need to sleep with a teddy bear. People would call it childish, but I've ceased to care. Akko reminded me of the sentimental value of these sorts of things." She didn't say this part out loud, but she cried a lot when she was alone. She needed something cuddly to provide the comfort that others could not. <br/>Alcor perched on her arm, his claws digging a little too much for comfort into her skin, but she didn't complain - although he seemed to almost immediately relax his grip on her, leaving Diana to infer what she knew about certain familiars.<br/>"You can read my every thought, can't you, Alcor?" she asked.<br/>He cawed in affirmation. Of course he could...<br/>"You sensed my turmoil... didn't you...? That's why you came, wasn't it? To ease my suffering to the best of your ability...?"<br/>Alcor didn't even need to lower his head to confirm, for the girl had answered her own question.<br/>"Then I ask you kindly not to reveal my secrets to anyone. Are we clear on that?"<br/>The crow nodded, and took off, flapping his wings with the same purpose and passion that he must have exhibited when the Professor went by a different name. Alcor was old, and past his prime, but the restoration of magic to the world had imbued many ailing familiars with new energy and drive, which very much warmed Diana's heart. This had been the culmination of their work. The work of Chariot du Nord, Akko Kagari's, her's, and even Croix's in a roundabout way. <br/>She looked up to Alcor as he flew away, presumably to help Ursula with the door that Diana had perhaps been too hasty to seal. They would be out in due time, after her business was concluded - but they just couldn't be allowed to interfere. Not this time. This was between Diana and Finnelan. The fresh air and Alcor's timely intervention had allowed Diana to collect her thoughts and think rationally about the whole incident, but she still needed to confront her. The longer she was avoided - the longer she was allowed to get away with her hateful agenda, the stronger she would become. It was time to make her answer for everything. <br/>An orange leaf drifted onto Diana's shoulder, which she brushed off with little fuss, but regarded sadly as she thought about the decay that was inevitable before the rebirth. Why did there have to be suffering to necessitate the good? Quickly, her attention was drawn over to some rustling bushes near to where she was seated. She looked a little closer, and within, she could see an old, grey rabbit, no doubt world-weary, plodding through the foliage, likely looking for their family. <br/><em>Me too, friend... me too...</em><br/>She wished them well, and continued on her mission.<br/><br/>The bunny had exhausted itself from running around Diana's bedroom, and soon found itself plodding back towards her open arms. Cuddling and stroking animals always made her happy, especially in the recent months of Mother's condition worsening to the point of being barely able to even hold or hug her. Diana was sure that she would get better. The Cavendish family were a distinguished medical line, and pioneers in their field. It would all be alright.<br/><em>I've shielded myself with layers and layers of lies for my entire life in order to cope with the truths that were always too unbearable to face...</em><br/>"Hey..." Andrew, leaning in the corner, arms folded. "May I ask you some questions now?"<br/>Diana placed the bunny on her bed with Gwen, her teddy bear, the sentient creature immediately taking a liking to the stuffed one, nuzzling beside it.<br/>"Sure!" she answered. "What is it that you want to know?"<br/>Andrew began to pace, briefly turning his gaze towards the Shiny Chariot cards scattered across her desk.<br/>"Ok... first... what is it about this 'Shiny Chariot' that seems to interest you so much?"<br/>Diana could barely contain her answer. "You want to know about Chariot?!" She had the widest, most childish grin on her face that she had never been replicated since. "She's amazing! She seems to have disappeared lately... but I'm sure she'll come back! Then maybe you can go and see how amazing she is!"<br/>"I have little time for magic," he responded, deflating Diana's hopes. "Father wants me to be a politician, and future leader of this country; I must follow his wishes for the honour of both the Hanbridge name and Great Britain."<br/>"But... magic is the most wonderful thing in the world..."<br/>"It's outdated," Andrew curtly informed her. "People can try to modernise it and progress it's usage, but at the end of the day, it's foolish and dangerous to rely on the occult." His eyes flashed spitefully. "You have to let it die," he added.<br/>Diana's stomach twisted into knots upon hearing this. Could this be true? Was this truly what people thought? Was magic truly outdated?<br/>No, of course not. She would become a great witch and prove all of the doubters wrong.<br/>Andrew decided to tangentially relate things to what he was actually interested in asking, as he posed the question. "So..." he said slowly, "... is this Shiny Chariot woman part of your..." he broke eye contact with Diana and looked down to the ground, knowing even in his young age that this wasn't an appropriate question. <br/>"Part of my...?" Diana grew impatient. This boy could be such a bore.<br/>Andrew looked back up. He had to know. "Part of your... well..." he gestured awkwardly towards her.<br/>"Oh..."<br/>"It's strange. You've changed. I knew you back when you were D-"<br/><em>I've done all that I can to expunge it from my memory. That name still makes me shudder. </em><br/>"Please... don't call me that. Don't ever call me that."<br/>"I'm sorry..."<br/>Diana sighed, feeling like she had to be the adult in the situation. "Just don't do it again."<br/>"I won't, Diana," he apologised solemnly.<br/>She smiled. It was good when people used her name. Her cousins Maril and Merrill still didn't quite understand, but at least Daryl didn't let them make fun of her for it. No. That was saved for her love of Chariot and her struggle with magic. At least today, the latter mockery could be avoided, Diana supposed as she glanced over to the sleeping bunny on her bed.<br/>"Chariot... helped me to understand. I had feelings before, but..."<br/>"I understand," Andrew said quickly. He clearly didn't, but was trying to be reassuring. "Now I think back to when you threw those fits whenever someone tried to cut your hair."<br/>"Well, I don't want it short, like a boy's!" she protested. She couldn't think of anything worse.<br/>"You know that girls can have short hair too, right? Your cousins do."<br/>"I just want... the best chance..." <br/>"I think you'll be fine," he admitted, dropping his cynical act to comfort her.<br/>"Thank you... but I'm scared..." Diana whispered, quite aware of the inevitable trials that would be ahead. The one time her cousins had cruelly made fun of her for this reason regarded growing up. Aunt Daryl was furious, and punished them harshly, but the seed remained planted in Diana's head, sprouting into an intense worry that led to her confronting her mother. In her situation, she had recieved "The Talk" earlier than most children, and was aware of the medication that within a few years she would have to take for her entire life. Magic couldn't solve this at a cellular level, so science was the answer. It didn't matter. Anything to keep "him" away. Anything. <br/><em>Mother asked if this was really what I wanted, promising she would see to it that I was supported either way. No question in my life has ever been easier. I regret nothing.</em><br/>But she had been forced to leave before she could see her daughter grow up...<br/>"It's ok to be scared," Andrew assured her, snapping Diana out of her sad ruminations. <br/><br/>"You're scared, aren't you?" asked Lotte as she and Akko sat on the carpet in front of the sealed door.<br/>"Yeah... I'm terrified. Diana is gonna get herself hurt really badly, and I can't stop it..."<br/>"It's not her physical health that I'm worried about..." refuted Lotte. "Besides, in that regards, it's that of others I'm more scared for."<br/>Akko couldn't have been more terrified. "She's so strong... but full of so much rage. It's just been waiting to explode..."<br/>"Mind if I take a seat?" came a voice. <br/>Professor Croix, hobbling on her bad leg before sinking against the wall and taking her place beside Akko. <br/>"You didn't let us answer..." Lotte weakly protested.<br/>"Never intended to let you," she glibly retorted, before turning to Akko. "This Diana stuff is hard on you, isn't it?" <br/>Akko barely registered. "What do you know...?"<br/>"I know what hatred can do to a person. Unfortunately a little too well. And here we were thinking that spite was good. Bunch of geniuses we are..." <br/>Akko's gaze was briefly drawn to Constanze, who was presently engaged in the operation of holding up a glass of water to the spaced-out Sucy's mouth, trying to encourage her to drink.<br/>Lotte stood and excused herself. "I'm going to go to check on Amanda." This left the rogue professor and the saviour of magic sat together in awkward silence.<br/>"If it helps, Akko..." Croix sighed, trying to think of something that would help to ease the girl's mind in any way, eventually settling on "... Diana isn't like me. She's nothing like me."<br/>Akko nodded wordlessly, hoping that this was intended as a commendation of her girlfriend, rather than a relapse of the professor's ego.<br/>"She's smarter," she continued, to Akko's surprise. "More tempered. She has enormous restraint. Foresight. These are beneficial attributes that I missed out on." <br/>"Me too..." muttered Akko. It was the former, then. "Still... what even is the right thing to do under these circumstances?" <br/>"Fight," was her simple answer. "But in a way that Diana can better than any of us."<br/>"That being...?"<br/>A banging on the door. "Hey!!! Croix? Is that you?" Ursula's voice.<br/>"Yeah, it's me. I'm with Akko. How are you holding up? <br/>"Terribly!" Ursula yelled as she kicked at the door again. "Damnit! I can't help you!"<br/>"We'll find a way!" Croix asserted confidently, easing herself back up. "We always do..."<br/>"I hope you're right!" her wife responded. "I'm terrified!"<br/>Croix looked to Akko. "Akko, any ideas?"<br/>"Um... uh..." Akko thought about it. "I... I..."<br/>"Yeah... we'll seek a way out..." Croix repeated to herself under her breath. "Somehow. Even if we have to brute force it." <br/>Akko's eyes widened, as if the lightbulb inside her skull had finally flipped from off to on. "I... I think I know what to do." <br/><br/>Diana knocked. A quick one-two, tapping her middle finger against the weathered door. She had to maintain a veneer of etiquette, and keep it together for what might be the most important confrontation of her life.<br/>"Come in," came the raspy voice from behind. <br/>Trembling, she grasped the handle, and gently opened it, crossing the rift into the Professor's office. Finnelan's domain.<br/>She sat at her desk, stony-faced as ever, but softened upon recognising who had arrived. "Diana... what a pleasant surprise." <br/>"Professor Finnelan..." she addressed, emptily, approaching the desk.<br/>"Take a seat," gestured Finnelan. <br/>"I'd rather stand."<br/>"If that's your prerogative, then fine."<br/>The two studied each-other intently, Diana watching as the teacher's face slowly reverted back to it's default glare, as it dawned on her just why the pride of Luna Nova was here at this hour.<br/>"This isn't going to be a pleasant conversation, is it, Miss Cavendish?"<br/>"No. It's not."<br/>Finnelan stood herself, no longer towering over the student, who had grown considerably over the past few years. They locked eyes, before she began to quietly titter under her breath.<br/>"What's so funny?!" demanded Diana, momentarily losing her composure.<br/>"That it's about Kagari, isn't it? It's always about Kagari! That's why you're here to see me!"<br/>Diana maintained an air of civility and facade of calmness, despite her heart's screaming for her to let it all out. "You knew this conversation would come the moment you put out that manifesto, Professor. It was always going to come down to you and me, in this room."<br/>"I was counting on it!" explained Finnelan, as if revealing a master plan that wasn't in reality a complete farce. "You see, Diana, I expected this little conversation all along, although I really thought that the right honourable Professor Croix would at least have the balls to come here first." She sneered. "Quite literally..."<br/>The grinding of Diana's teeth as she resisted the urge to burn the office down could have shattered her clenched jaw. "Don't talk about her like that."<br/>"Oh, what?" she mocked, looking awfully pleased with herself. "Did you get Croix's 'sad' backstory? About the big bad teacher that refused to entertain the delusions of a degenerate invader and their second-rate witch girlfriend? Laughable." The venom dripped from her lips. "Oh, let me guess: was there something about suicide in there, as well? TRA's love to use that card like the manipulative freaks they are."<br/><em>Keep it together, Diana. Keep it together.</em><br/>She played it cool. "Yes, actually. She did tell me that." Matter-of-fact. Good.<br/>"Oh, and I don't doubt it was true. When you're mentally ill enough to think that you were somehow 'born in the wrong body' or any of that nonsense, I can imagine that striking oneself out of existance would be tempting. And what a true shame that would have been. There would be no Shiny Chariot, or missile crisis, or hererical technology poisoning our art. A true shame..." Her voice oozed with condescension and sarcasm, as she attempted to continue her diatribe. "But the truth is, Diana, that the danger posed to witches-"<br/>"I'm not here to talk about Croix," Diana interrupted, once again letting down her defences. "I don't give a damn what petty rivalry you have with her or how insecure progress makes you... I'm here to talk about Akko."<br/>She scoffed. "Ah, yes. Atsuko Kagari. The shame of Luna Nova and your beloved 'girlfriend'... must we waste time on such a wretch?"<br/>Diana clenched her fists, white knuckled as her quiet fury threatened to spill out.<br/>"That 'wretch' is an upstanding young witch... and the woman I love," hissed Diana, her tether on the brink of breaking.<br/>"Pathetic. Kagari corrupts you. Leeches your potential. Have you ever considered that trans ideology may have a hold over your life? That they might even try to convince you that since... say for example... you have short hair - that you're actually a man? They're so good at erasing young lesbians through their gender nonsense that I wouldn't be surprised if they've already started mutilating you."<br/><em>What the hell was she listening to? </em><br/>"Of course..." continued Finnelan, through barely-disguised amusement. "You're not actually a lesbian, though. Dating a male and all..."<br/>That's it. <br/>"Don't you FUCKING talk about my girlfriend like that, you self-righteous, vindictive piece of shit."<br/>The professor couldn't help but be somewhat taken aback by the dropping of Diana's mask. This sort of talk was at least grounds enough for suspension. <br/>"Diana Cavendish..." she taunted. "I didn't think that you had such a filthy mouth!"<br/>"Yes, and there's plenty more where that came from, if you would like, <em>Anne</em>."<br/>"Oh, how far you've fallen..." Finnelan sighed, now seeming tired and disappointed, presuming that her position was somehow the rational one. "You've become completely enveloped by the ideology... have you no pride in witches anymore?"<br/>"You are a monster..." she whispered, voice trembling as her eyes filled with tears.<br/>"So naive..." was the predictably infantalising response. "The 'monsters' are the violent misogynists that invade our spaces, appropriate our culture, turn our own into traitors, and must be morally mandated out of existence." <br/>"Do... you know... how utterly GENOCIDAL you sound right now? Do you have any idea just how evil this is?!"<br/>"I'm trying to prevent our genocide!" she raved, truly beyond the pale. "You and Kagari are responsible for the proliferation of magic by the unworthy! Sharing magical power with just anyone... it erodes the definition of Witch by instilling non-biological bodies with the power...."<br/>"Biological Witches?!" Diana gasped, in complete disbelief that this was a real conversation she was having, rather than some twisted fever-dream. "Everyone has latant magical potential within them. It's just about what society allows us to do with it! I thought a return to the Golden Age would be something to strive for?!"<br/>"This is no Golden Age..." she spat, "... this is a time of pretenders. It's a shame that you would waste the power granted to you by defending these degenerates..."<br/>"Powers granted?! You think this just came naturally?!" It was time to strike. Diana wasn't going to hold back any longer. "I... had no gifts. I wasn't 'chosen' for having a sacred birth or any of that bullshit. My power matched that of everyone else's when I was a child. And then... it was taken from me."<br/>"Taken...?"<br/>"Yes. And it was taken from Akko, too. Do you see what I'm trying to tell you, Finnelan? Neither of us are 'biological witches' or whatever bullshit purity term you arbitrarily came up with. Me and Akko... we're the same. Assigned nothing. Chosen for nothing. And I worked my <em>arse off</em> since I was six years old to forcibly grasp onto my dream and never let go. If Akko and I had switched places, then she would be the pride of this place, whatever that even means, and I would be the one that people laugh at. That you sneer at. Because I'm privileged enough to have gotten the support I needed. She wasn't. But both of us are who we are not because it was some sacred tradition or vaguely defined category... but because we chose to be!"<br/>"I... don't quite understand." The arrogance was knocked out of her. It must have been difficult to fathom.<br/>"Dream Fuel Spirit," explained Diana, satisfied to be back in control of the conversation. "Me and Akko had our magic taken when we were children. We've both been disadvantaged all our lives. Our 'essence of magic' or whatever you want to call it was actually lower than the average person's."<br/>"What... happened?" Finnelan was surprisingly subdued after hearing this. <br/>"Croix," was Diana's answer. "She was trying to unlock the Grand Triskellion and took matters into her own hands. She didn't target us deliberately, of course. We were just in the crowd when it happened."<br/>"The crowd...?"<br/>"Ah, yes..." And now for the second blow. "I was a Chariot fan." <br/><br/>Joanna and Lotte held onto Amanda's hands as the daredevil pushed herself out of bed, insisting on being able to walk.<br/>"Thanks, you guys..." she grunted as she stood, wobbling on her bandaged leg a little as the other girls kept her stabilized. <br/>Sucy had fallen asleep with her head on Constanze's lap as the inventor alternated her attention between rubbing her friend's forehead and paying close attention to something on her smartphone screen.<br/>Croix and Akko, well...<br/>Croix jammed a crowbar between the narrow slit beside the door handle, pushing until her face was red and her knuckles were white. The crowbar snapped in two.<br/>"How does that even happen?!" groaned the bewildered, frustrated Croix between heavy breaths. "I'm running out of ideas real fast."<br/>"That's it!" was Akko's declaration. She didn't want to have to do this, but it seemed that they were left with no other option. "Professor Croix, stand back."<br/>Croix took a few paces back and stood behind Akko, watching curiously. "What do you have in mind...?"<br/>Akko ignored her question, and took to more pressing matters. "Professor Ursula!"<br/>"Akko?" came her voice again. <br/>"I need you to step away from the door - probably to the side."<br/>"Why?"<br/>"I have one last card to play. Professor Croix reminded me earlier."<br/>It was beyond Croix. "I did...?"<br/>"Ok! I'll trust you Akko! Like always!"<br/>"Thank you professor!"<br/>Akko gestured to Croix to take a few more steps back, before drawing her wand and facing down the so-called impenetrable door. "Ok... you want a fight, huh? I'll give you my all..." she huffed as she began to jog on the spot and flex her wand hand in a strange warmup routine. <br/>The other girls, minus Sucy, all directed their attention towards her, initially confused as to Akko's intent, until it became obvious.<br/>Akko took off, rushing towards the door. "<em>Metamorphie Faciesse</em>!!!" she chanted as she evaporated into a thick puff of smoke, breaking the door apart, broken, splintered wood strewn across the corridor. Lying on top of the wreckage was a yellow elephant with preposterously large eyes and even bigger ears.<br/>"Did it work...?" asked the dazed elephant.<br/>Ursula coughed from the smoke and dust, and cleaned her glasses with her sleeve. "Yes... it works..." she confirmed.<br/><br/>Finnelan drummed her fingers over the desk, avoiding eye-contact with Diana.<br/>"So let's get this straight...? You weren't supposed to be a witch, and you were a fan of that infernal Chariot...?"<br/>"Yes," said Diana, keeping her composure as she took note of the growing discomfort written all over the Professor's face. "See? I'm living proof that you're wrong. You've always been wrong."<br/>"No..." she muttered, beginning to sweat. "That's not true... It's NOT true!"<br/>"But to our next topic of conversation, and why I'm here in the first place... you hurt Akko. You re-appropriated Croix's technology to cause havoc. You figured it would make her look bad. Maybe even get her put back in jail. How convenient."<br/>"What proof do you have of that?!" she snarled, nose flaring. "Croix's word?! Don't make me laugh..."<br/>"It's true..." admitted Diana, casually. "I don't have any solid evidence besides the testimonies of a professor, four students, and one of which works as a journalist for the academy, and that can hold a lot of sway..." <br/>"Wangari..." muttered Finnelan, barely hiding the disdain from her voice. "I figured that loudmouthed nuisance would find a way to undermine me..."<br/>Diana allowed Finnelan to be as wrong as ever, disguising her amusement and growing contempt as she continued to unfold before her.<br/>"It's all wrong!!!" she yelled. "It's all lies..." <br/>"No, I think it's the truth. I could look to verify with Holbrooke and your ministry buddies as to your growing interest in Croix's quote-on-quote 'degenerate' technology post missile crisis? Will that be necessary...?"<br/>"You scheming little..."<br/><em>Your words can't hurt me anymore</em>.<br/>"I could go further..." proceeded Diana, her confidence growing as the professor continued to sweat. "For example, Constanze has backed up the edited files and hacked into the command line to bring up the source of the malicious edits, which we can cross-reference with some old school reports you wrote for Chariot du Nord, which are very fond of the terminology that you just keep repeating..." She was bluffing. The files were irretrievable. But the fury in Finnelan's eyes was all it took to confirm that it had worked.<br/>Folding her arms and allowing herself a well-earned moment of smugness, Diana continued to list the offenses. "And then the pixel seriously injured two students and a teacher. Not a good look, Anne."<br/>"It wasn't supposed to be violent!" she blurted out. "It was supposed to infect devices and send discord among you activists! That you would tear each-other apart believing that you had all turned on each-other! And then..."<br/>"... It would be conveniently discovered that it was Croix's technology? And a blow to her credibility and even her job would be landed?" Speaking of which, Diana was almost ready for a final strike. She had her exactly where she wanted her.<br/>"It wasn't supposed to attack them! I promise that I didn't mean to cause damage..."<br/>"But it did, Anne, didn't it?" She was unstoppable. "Have you considered that it's a result of the uncontrolled hatred in your heart and your ideology as a whole that fuelled it's violent energy?"<br/>"Our movement is one of love! Love for witches and ensuring their protection! Love for...! Love for..." No. It couldn't be. Why would it...? Why?!<br/>"You're a hate movement, Anne! And I can prove that scientifically!"<br/>Finnelan's own fists began to curl as Diana stood her ground, regarding her with nothing but the contempt that she had wrought upon herself.<br/>"I used to respect you so much, professor... but it was never going to be mutual if you knew my truth. I hid from it for my entire life."<br/>Shaking her head, Finnelan's countenance changed from searing hatred into what seemed to be... sadness? "I don't think that I could ever stop respecting you, Diana... even now... you're still as brilliant as ever... you won..."<br/>Diana was surprised by this response. Was Finnelan showing... humility?<br/>"Just answer me one thing, between witches..." requested the defeated professor.<br/>"And what's that?"<br/>"There's one thing that doesn't make sense... the Cavendish family has a long tradition of witchcraft... surely they would have pushed you to become one regardless? Even after you lost your essence? I... don't understand... you don't 'choose' to become a witch in a family like that... It's something that must have been pushed onto you...?"<br/>Diana leaned in towards her, preparing the final strike.<br/>She opened her mouth for the killing blow. "Mother raised me to pursue my own dreams. Whether they had a boy or a girl, it was agreed between parents that the child would have a say over their own life. Their little boy chose this dream."<br/>Finnelan's eyes widened, before she silently collapsed into her chair, Diana looking down on her.<br/>"I did... what I did... for witches..."<br/>Diana didn't respond. She was finished with her. <br/>"I... I threw it all away, didn't I?"<br/>This also recieved no answer. It wasn't worth it.<br/>"I caused real harm... I forsook our traditions... used dangerous technology... and for what...?"<br/>Diana could tell that the long-needed realisation as to the magnitude of her actions had utterly broken Finnelan. But... it didn't feel as good as she thought it would.<br/>"Just... a hate group... oh my god... what... have I done...?"<br/>Now it would just upset her if she allowed this display of misery to carry on.<br/>"Constanze," Diana called out. "We've got it."<br/>Finnelan barely registered as the Stanbot that had been positioned on her desk since Diana had walked in shed it's cloaking system and clicked off it's internal camera and audio recorder. It jumped onto Diana's shoulder, and rested. Professor Ursula likely didn't anticipate the plan that Diana and Constanze had devised after she had redirected the Stanbot to help ease Diana's suffering. It had done that, alright. <br/>Behind, the door rattled, getting her attention, before swinging open for Akko to rush in.<br/>"Diana!" she blubbered, throwing her arms over her and sobbing into her chest. It was her turn this time. "I... I was so worried... I thought..."<br/>"I'm ok, Akko..." Diana assured her, holding on tightly. "It's all ok now..."<br/>Finnelan watched the couple, instilling a feeling that she couldn't quite describe. It was true... all of it. It was truly real. The connection between these girls was evident - not in the abstract anymore. She saw it with her own eyes. Who was she to come between them? It had been a lie. A lie. <br/>Constanze briefly entered to pull off the Stanbot from Diana's shoulder and shoot a quick glare to Finnelan, waving her phone with the other hand to let her see that she had the entire confession on tape. Whatever. It was what it was.<br/>After easing off, Akko and Constanze led Diana out into the corridor, where she was greeted by all of her friends. <br/>It was a lot to take in at once, with the others crowding around her to say... something reassuring, she supposed. She took stock of the surroundings: the usual suspects, including Sucy - whom Constanze must have hauled over - Hannah and Barbara had shown up, too, as well as Wangari and Kimberly, holding Joanna's hand, and even Gaëlle, who stood apart but still seemed to be happy that Diana was safe. She was sure that she noticed Croix gazing sadly into Finnelan's office before easing the door shut, but she couldn't be sure, with Professor Ursula comforting her as much as Diana. Her senses were hazy and she needed some sleep, a perpetual ringing in her ears making it hard to really know what was going on.<br/><br/>"So... what are you going to do with the rabbit?" asked Andrew, as Diana lay on her bed, cuddling both it and her bear. <br/>She turned around on her side, realising that the boy was still here. "Well..." she mused, "I guess I could let him go, if he wants."<br/>"How do you know what he wants?"<br/>"Oh, I asked him!" <br/>Andrew was taken aback, of course, unaware that the seven year old had been studying both Squirrel and Rabbit language. Falsely supposing it to be a young girl's overactive imagination, he decided to entertain the notion. <br/>"Ok... so what does he want?"<br/>"He wants to stay here for a while!" Diana excitedly exclaimed. "Do you, Andrew? There's so much I wanna tell you about!"<br/>Andrew seemed deep in thought for a moment, rubbing his chin before giving his answer. "Nah. I should probably be getting back to father."<br/>"Aw..." <br/>"It's ok, Diana. It was nice talking to you. I may not care much for your interests, but... it's good to understand you. You're a nice girl. Take care."<br/>As he left, Diana rolled back and stroked the Bunny some more, before resting her head on it's snowy-white fur.<br/><em>I let him go eventually. It's what he asked of me.</em><br/><br/>Hannah and Barbara had gone out for the night in order to give Diana some time alone in her room with Akko. The two had immediately gotten to work making out, and when they were done, Diana seated herself at Barbara's desk with her own seldom-used laptop. <br/>"Ooh, what are we playing?" chimed Akko, her eyes further lighting up. <br/>"I might show you some things later," she said. "But right now there's something else that I have to do."<br/>"Oh?"<br/>There was some damage that needed to be undone, and it was something that Diana felt that she only alone could do, given the circumstances. Constanze had taken the recordings to Holbrooke, and as a result, Finnelan was on a leave of absense for the rest of the term. Not a particularly harsh punishment, but Diana had to remind herself that she also lived in a world where a teacher only had to serve three years in prison for almost causing a nuclear catastrophe, and then was allowed back at the same academy with no hard feelings. Besides, she wasn't sure, but maybe she had gotten through to her. Only time would tell. Everyone could change. <br/>"I'm going to our website. I'm going to write a blog."<br/>Akko seemed confused. An academic blog was hardly something that should have been on Diana's mind on a day like this.<br/>"Uhh... what's going to be in the blog?"<br/>Diana hesitated, doubting for a moment if it was the right thing to do. It was.<br/>"Everything."<br/>Akko had to double-take. "You mean, everything?" She leaned over Diana's shoulder and watched her open up a document to draft her essay.<br/>"Yes."<br/>Akko kissed Diana on the cheek, before asking "Are you sure? It's ok to keep this a secret."<br/>"No..." resolved Diana. "Today was one of the worst days of my life. I'm tired of hiding in shadows. I have to do this, and I have to do it now." She grinned, to assure Akko that everything was under control, before sealing it with a quick peck to the lips.<br/>"But... why?"<br/>Diana closed her eyes, and thought over everything. She remembered years ago when her cousin had told her that it was ok to be scared. And her mother. And her friends. And her teachers. And Akko. Even her old rabbit friend.<br/>"Because I choose to."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well that was a rough one.</p><p>Not too much to say here. I'm relatively happy with how it ended up, even the prose, which felt satisfying when writing. The time gap of releases between chapters is due to my participation in the One-Shot "The Ties That Bind" for Diakko week, which was conceived partway through the writing of this chapter, and as a Diana chapter, some of the same concepts are revisited. </p><p>I hope you enjoyed the chapter, if that's the right word to use. It was one of the most difficult to write content-wise. Thank you for reading.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Confessions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Diana hits send. The News Team discuss their feelings. Barbara gets something off her chest.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CW: Not too much, besides "Queer" being used in a reclaimed sense. Two characters also share a bed in a non-sexual context.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wangari stirred in her sleep as Kimberly sat at her desk, bored. It was a slow news week, her writing projects at present were bringing no satisfaction, and her sleeping pattern had become sporadic and unpredictable.<br/>The bathroom door opened, with Joanna skulking in the darkness, before seeing that someone else was awake, and relaxing. "You can't sleep either, Kim?" she asked, in-between yawns.<br/>"Not particularly..." was her droll response. "The usual, I suppose."<br/>"After the day I've had, I'm probably not going to sleep for a while," admitted the photographer. "Too bad we can't report on it since it's classified. You enjoy writing about that sort of stuff, right?"<br/>It excited her immensely. "Yes... especially when there's Magitek involved." <br/>"Well, I've been working on a report on Sorcery Units that you might enjoy writing! I've even got pictures! I think... I might need a break from the thing, though; so do you wanna do it?"<br/>Kim smiled sweetly. "Thanks, Joanna. I'll look into it." <br/>Joanna would show her the pictures she had taken later. She knew that they would make her happy. In the meantime, she sat beside her friend as Kimberly booted up her laptop.<br/>"You given any more thought about coming to Pride?" asked Kim, curious if any perspectives had changed since at least one of their problems had been dealt with. <br/>"Yeah. I will be," Joanna answered slowly, shifting awkwardly in her seat.<br/>"You don't have to be scared, you know." <br/>But Joanna <em>was</em> scared. There were so many Finnelans in the world, and after what had happened, she didn't know who she could trust. After all, despite downplaying it, almost as a defense mechanism, her life had genuinely been in danger, and fresh memories of razor-lined tentacles and Amanda lying injured in bed weren't exactly accommodating to her already rocketing stress-levels.<br/>"I'm not," was the only lie that she could manage. It was imperative to change the subject, lest she relive this. "How about you?"<br/>"Hmm, me?" mused Kimberly. "Well, I'll be helping with the coverage, so of course."<br/>"No, Kim..." she teased. "I'm talking about actually being there!"<br/>"Oh..." Kimberly ruffled her own fringe so that her hair would droop down and cover her face, obfuscating any embarrassing eye-contact. "I've... uh... considered it."<br/>Kimberly may have been ace, but over the years she had developed strong romantic feelings for a peer. Of course, acting on this would be foolish, she reminded herself. Joanna did not get the memo.<br/>"You have to tell her at some point!" she giggled, enjoying herself as the bob-cut brunette began to sweat. <br/>"That would be most... u-unwise of me," she stuttered. "I'm a professional. I don't want to jeopardise anything between friends and colleagues. I hope you understand, Joanna."<br/>"Yeah... I get it..." she conceded. "Still, you would be so cute together!"<br/>"Keep it down or you'll wake her up..." hushed Kimberly, finger on lips, indicating towards Wangari, motionless in her bed. "And that would be embarassing for all of us..."<br/>"Kim... I think that's great..." came the unusually subdued Wangari's voice behind them. <br/>Kimberly screamed, jolting her awake.<br/>"What's going on?!" Wangari demanded, grabbing her wand from under her pillow. "We got ghosts again?!"<br/>"Oh... you were dreaming..." Kimberly gave a sigh of relief as Joanna turned away, struggling to contain herself.<br/>A look of panic flushed over the lead reporter's face. "Oh no... I've not been talking in my sleep, have I?"<br/>"Uhh..."<br/>"Shit."<br/>As if through an act of divine intervention, Kimberly's laptop chimed and completed it's startup sequence, rescuing them from the situation.<br/>"Wow, would you look at that!" cooed Kim, doing her best to deflect from the awkwardness. "A notification from our website!" <br/>Wangari wasn't particularly interested. There were other, more pressing things to discuss. "Yeah, that's good, but we should really talk abo-"<br/>Joanna came to the rescue. "It says it's from Diana Cavendish!"<br/>"Wait, what?" Wangari's attention was successfully diverted, jumping out of bed to investigate the monitor as they gathered around.<br/>"It's a blog post," observed Kimberly. "That's rare. She doesn't do this sort of thing."<br/>"Yeah..." Wangari mused. "I keep asking her to contribute all the time but she refuses."<br/>Joanna knew what was coming, but had to save face. "Well, she's a very private person. We have to respect her wishes." <br/>"True..." agreed Wangari, watching as Kimberly opened up the website. "I sure hope it's nothing bad. She sure seemed shaken up when we saw her come out of that office."<br/>Something told Joanna that Wangari's fear couldn't be further from the truth, as the article was highlighted and opened. <br/><em>'Coming Out: A Long Overdue Confession </em><br/><em>By Diana Cavendish'</em><br/>"Huh..." was all that Kimberly could manage upon reading the title. "Literally the entire academy knows that she's gay. Why does it need an announcement?"<br/>Joanna stayed silent. It wasn't her place to explain things - it was Diana's.<br/><em>'Dear All,</em><br/><em>It's rare that I engage in these sorts of public announcements, but after the events and the tensions that have arisen over the past few weeks, I deemed it appropriate to give my input. Namely, the apparent factionalisation of our community over issues of progress vs tradition, and all that is entailed by such. </em><br/><em>I come from a long line of witches in a prestigious family, and as such, I am immensely privileged. I even displayed several reactionary tendencies in the past when progressivism was the correct course of action, purely out of bitter, privileged arrogance. Maturing is a process we all go through, and I was no exception. I have my friends to thank for that. </em><br/><em>As I have made no secret of, I am a lesbian, and have always been comfortable in my sexuality. I have a wonderful girlfriend that I love with all of my heart and one day hope to take her hand in marriage. She changed my life for the better, and is the best thing to ever happen to both me and this academy. Without her, we would still be marred in the past. We would be nothing. I would be nothing.</em><br/><em>But the recent discourse inspired by the attacks launched by certain members of the magical community onto others has served to flare up a perceived rift that has been greatly exaggerated. The traditionalists involved seek to give the impression that their numbers are greater than they actually are.  I refer, of course, to an intersection of regressive values that are designed to exclude a diverse number of witches from the community and remove them from public life. From artistry, to performance, to technology, reactionaries fear that their purity is being corrupted, and as such, double down to harm those that it is best for. I will leave no doubts as to where I stand on this issue:</em><br/><em>The arts are important. Science is important. Every witch is important.</em><br/><em>I was an admirer of Shiny Chariot as a child, and her immense feats of spectacular magic and pure desire to bring the world together inspired much of who I am today.'</em><br/>"I knew it!!!" declared Wangari, victorious in her assumptions. "I knew she was secretly as much a nerd as the rest of us!"<br/>"Wangari, please quiet down..." Joanna whispered, conscious of others outside their walls that would have still been sleeping.<br/>"Sorry..." Wangari still smiled, though. It was reassuring that so many more people than she thought had appreciated her old idol's art.<br/>The three of them continued to read. <br/><em>'As a child, I was involved in an accident. I'll spare the details, but I had my magical potential sapped. It wasn't anyone's fault. Not really. Just a mixture of unfortunate circumstances and their consequences. But I was lucky. My desire to become a witch was supported by my family and I had the best resources provided in order to work hard and become one regardless. I pushed myself to the limits, and it almost broke my will. But I didn't surrender. And you shouldn't either.</em><br/><em>None of us are "meant to be" or pre-ordained for anything. We are who we choose to be, and that right belongs to everyone on earth. We all deserve to experience the wonder of magic. But some of us can't immediately. Some of us are disadvantaged for one reason or another. And it's not their fault. It was never their fault. If I hadn't have had the support I so desperately needed, then you wouldn't even know my name. And perhaps that would be better. I truly despise being pushed into the spotlight. I loathe the expectations that are thrown upon me. I recoil at assertions that I'm "the pride of Luna Nova", or that I'm obliged to take a leadership position in the magic world once I graduate. In reality, I always wanted to be a doctor, like my mother before me. I'm no more or less special than any of you, but with the platform my privilege affords me, I hope to at least use it to elevate as many people as possible.  </em><br/><em>Among the so-called "contentious" groups of witches that are frequently demonized by the media and those in unfortunate positions of power are a demographic which I have nothing but respect and admiration for. Since the inception of magic, there have been queer witches, wizards, and spellcasters, but these stories are often censored and relegated to the obscure archives of history by the aforementioned powerful and corrupt. Even some of our most historic figures have had their queerness erased to suit narratives. And the treatment of transgender people especially, in both the magical and non-magical world, sickens me to no end. My girlfriend, who I love, is a frequent target of abuse and ridicule just for daring to exist while trans. There are others, who I know personally, who too have been placed under the tightest scrutiny and subjected to inordinate amounts of hatred and derision for living their lives. And so, it's understandable that despite a considerable transgender population and presence within magic, many choose to hide it. Those are understandable wishes. If one is trans and knows of the extra struggles that will be placed upon them if they are openly out or "non-passing" (a term I dislike for it's connotations, but will be used regardless to illustrate the point), then sometimes hiding is a perfectly rational defence mechanism, and absolutely a valid decision.</em><br/><em>It's what I did.'</em><br/>Wangari had to double-take, and slowly turned to Kimberly, who had the same thing in mind. <br/>"Uhh... did she just...?" Wangari began.<br/>Kimberly was dumbstruck. "I... um... think so?" <br/>Joanna was glad for Diana, coming out on such a large scale. She knew that she could never do it. And that was ok. No judgements, no policing. Their lives were all their own. <br/>She went to sit down on her bed, which her insecurities had picked out as the one naturally divorced from the bunk being the necessary position to take, but before she could reach it, she was stopped by Wangari.<br/>"Joanna..." she said in hushed tones. "I... is it really this hard...?"<br/>She tried to find her most reassuring smile for her friend. "There are good days and bad days."<br/>Before she could move, Wangari's arms were tightly wrapped around her, a little too tightly for her liking, but Joanna hardly minded. <br/>"You know... now is an excellent time for you to tell Kim how you feel."<br/>Wangari nodded, and prepared to confess. <br/>"Yeah, me too," dismissed Kimberly, hand waving the matter aside. "We'll confess our sweet love or whatever after I finish this. I'm still trying to read." <br/>"Sorry," they apologised in unison. Being swept up in the moment, they had forgotten the first rule of the news team enshrined in their sacred pledge: never, under any circumstances. interrupt Kimberly when she is reading. The second rule, coincidentally, was to defer to rule number one. <br/><em>'I am transgender and have been on this journey for a very long time. Longer than is typical for someone my age. As a child, I knew what I wanted. I was wilful, driven, and was educated in ways which are withheld from most children. I have my late mother to thank for this, who never questioned my desires, and sought only to make me happy and comfortable in my skin. Many of us do not recieve that privilege. Once again, I invoke it as a reminder that my experience is not universal, or even common, in our community. I am where I am because of kindness and love. Others don't get so lucky. </em><br/><em>Whether it be cruel state legislature, unsupportive family, or the internalisation instilled into so many of us to dissuade us from seeing ourselves for who we are, many of us, even perhaps the majority, have more difficult experiences. It's bad enough outside of the magical world, and my heart bleeds for people like me who weren't gifted the same opportunities that I was. And what horrifies me more than anything is when my siblings are made to feel unwelcome within spaces that profess to be welcoming. The magical world was where I found my peace, and the idea that some would try to gatekeep something so wonderful and turn it into a source of trauma is repulsive to me. That witches and wizards would make life difficult for their brethren based on some sort of archaic measure of "purity" is something that I abhor more than words can adequately describe.  </em><br/><em>It never had to be a fight, but for some, this is what it came down to. And it's tragic. It truly is. That any of this happenes breaks my heart. But what so effortlessly repairs it and melts the damage away is when I see queer people living their lives, loved and accepted. Oftentimes when I get angry, all it takes is for me to look over to my girlfriend, and her irrepressible force of goodness and love for life is shared, even when my own wavers, bleeding out the dark decay. She shares it with me. She gave me a true gift of life. Spending time with someone that understands me, and who I understand, helps me to feel alive, from the highest highes to the lowest lows. This is what happiness feels like. This is what love feels like. And it's the most liberating feeling in the world. And as I write this, I feel as though a weight has been released from around my neck to sink back into the ocean. Thank you to everyone who helped me to keep my secret, and thank you for making me realise that it doesn't have to be like that anymore. </em><br/><em>My name is Diana Cavendish. I am a woman. I am a lesbian. And most importantly, I am a witch. </em><br/><em>I love all of you. A believing heart is your magic. Forever and ever. Queer liberation now.'</em><br/>Closing the laptop, Kimberly let out a long sigh, as Joanna's heart pounded with more pride than a rainbow flag, and Wangari stood open-mouthed and awestruck. <br/>"Wow," remarked Kimberly, the slight tremble of her voice betraying the casual impression she sought to convey, "that girl really is quite something. I feel proud to even be attending the same academy as her. You know? It's a weird feeling. Some sort of... vicarious joy?"<br/>"Why does it have to be vicarious?" added Joanna, once again enjoying this a little too much. "Maybe it can just be your own..."<br/>Kimberly took the hint and turned to Wangari. "Uhh... I suppose that I've not been entirely honest with you..."<br/>"Yeah, me neither..." she responded, rather embarassed. "There are probably... um... some things that you should know... in the... spirit of things."<br/>"You're gay too, right?" was Kimberly's immediate, and completely correct, assumption. <br/>"Yeah... I'm gay," she admitted. "And I've... kind of been hoping to... maybe ask someone out..."<br/>"Ooh..." Kim continued in a mostly playful manner, smiling irresistibly. "And what's she like...?"<br/>"Well... how do I put it...?" Wangari, avoiding eye-contact, exaggerated a head scratch, before hesitantly beginning to list off some qualities. "I guess you could say that she's a really talented writer... and... that she's super funny, kind, and reliable... oh, and she's also seriously pretty! And is really cute whenever she pretends to be all aloof and cool."<br/>"Huh..." Kimberly raised an eyebrow in a semi-mocking fashion. "She sounds like a real pain in the ass."<br/>"She can be. But so am I. Maybe we'll... compliment each-other."<br/>Joanna burst out into a fit of laughter, her glasses sliding from her nose to the carpet. "Oh my god, you two are terrible!" she wheezed, fumbling on the floor for what was lost. "This is too much to handle! You're gonna kill me from embarrassment!" <br/>Wangari smiled at her friend's attempt to embarass them in turn, and refocused on Kimberly. "So... uh... you wanna maybe go out sometime." <br/>"I think I'd like that, Wangari... if you would?"<br/>"Well I'm the one who asked!" <br/>"My work here is done," concluded Joanna, maintaining her wry smile. "Took you two long enough!" She pushed her hair back and re-applied her glasses. "You guys make me smile..."<br/>As quickly as they had confessed their secrets, both Wangari and Kimberly found their attention diverted to another topic.<br/>"Oh yeah... that reminds me..." began Wangari, appearing pensive. "Is... <em>he</em> going to be coming over?"<br/>"My boyfriend?" Joanna smirked. "You guys always get so nervous whenever he comes up. Relax, he's really sweet!"<br/>Joanna had met her boyfriend the previous year, upon a trip to Appleton for an off-campus photography seminar. It turned out that he was majoring in the field as well, and was able to teach her a thing or two. Aside from sharing this special interest, he was fascinated with magic, and regretted never being in a position to learn it when he was younger. They were essentially perfect for each-other, with them frequently exchanging and imparting knowledge to help the other, and it wasn't long before their mutual feelings began to bloom.<br/>"I know he's sweet... he's just..." Kimberly hesitated. "Nevermind." She was the first to admit that she a little rough around the edges. Bad experiences with boys had made her apprehensive - unduly so, but apprehensive nonetheless. Her writing career had actually started in middle-school after writing a love poem to a boy she liked; which her "friends" at the time promptly mocked and derided, despite her teacher noticing that she had a talent for writing and offering to tutor her. Her second "interest" turned out to be an anti-witch asshole. And the third was aphobic. But she didn't want to think about it.<br/>Joanna threw herself into bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. "Anyways, I should get a few hours of sleep before the sun comes up." She flashed a smile to her closest friends. "It's all going to be ok, guys." And she turned over, head sinking into the pillow. <br/>Wangari sat back on her own bed, but kept her focus on Kimberly, in a rare instance of not quite being able to find the words. <br/>The writer, of course, had them at the ready. "So... what do you want to... do now?" Maybe not many, though. <br/>There was at least one response loaded into her repertoire. "I dunno, I didn't think I'd get this far..."<br/>Kim extended her arm. "I've always wanted to hold your hand, you know..." she whispered. <br/>Wangari knew this, but pretended to be surprised. "Uh, wow... that's... neat." She took it, genuinely surprised at the warmth emitted by the typically icy girl. "Want to go on a nightime walk or something?"<br/>"I'd love to. I really would."<br/>The prospect of these journeys always excited Wangari, although since the relaxing of the curfew, the thrill of the danger wasn't quite the same as it used to be.<br/>"Thank you, Kimberly." She allowed her new girlfriend (although it felt a little awkward to acknowledge this at first) to pull her out of bed, and the two prepared to change. It was going to be cold.<br/>"Say..." added Kimberly as an aside. "I'm actually curious. What was it that you were dreaming about, anyway?"<br/>"I wasn't," she admitted nonchalantly. <br/><br/>The Last Wednesday Society was typically open 24/7, with the owner placing hexes on the items within for extra security against those with ill-intent whilst he slept. With the advantage of the quiet, and to combat the chilly early morning breeze creeping in from outside, Barbara had brewed herself and Hannah two cups of hot cocoa. She placed them onto the circular table beside the counter, where Hannah sat, and settled down in her seat across from her.<br/>"Thank you, Barb," the redhead said, talking hold of her mug.<br/>"No problem," Barbara responded. "I miss our nightime walks around town."<br/>"I think it's morning now..."<br/>"You know what I mean..."<br/>The two put a momentarily interval on the conversation to sip from their mugs. Barbara knew how to make it just right, hitting the sweet spot as always. <br/>Putting down her drink, Barbara studied her friend's expression. She could usually tell simply by her face whether it was an appropriate time for a heart-to-heart, and she would have to be especially careful under these circumstances. <br/>"So..." she may as well look for an appropriate opening. "You hear about Finnelan?"<br/>"Ugh," Hannah scoffed at the mention of her name. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer person..."<br/>"Yeah... although she got off rather lightly."<br/>"Holbrooke's such a softie!" she complained. "And I don't understand why Diana and the others didn't press charges?"<br/>"That was rather strange..." mused Barbara. "I guess that they didn't want to... perpetuate a cycle, or something like that?"<br/>"True. Still... after what she did to Diana... how she made her feel... I'll never forgive her..." Hannah snarled, her grip tightening around the mug until she slammed it down onto the table after becoming too hot to handle.<br/>The crash startled Barbara, who saw fit to change the subject. This was bringing nothing but pain.<br/>"Anyway, Han... I'm glad you're with me. There's some stuff I really need to get off my chest, and..."<br/>"... It's a long time coming, right?"<br/><em>Oh no, she already knows</em>...<br/>Embarassed, Barbara took out her phone to look for yet another distraction. There seemed to be one right on hand, and it was something that neither of them had expected. <br/>"Huh...?!" Barbara was taken aback as she scrolled through witch.net, reaching the standout article, with hits climbing into the thousands for something posted less than an hour ago.<br/>"What is it?" asked Hannah, nervously.<br/>"Diana."<br/>The two huddled around the phone and began to read what their friend had submitted, awestruck at the ease of which she was able to discuss her circumstances, after almost a decade and a half of sworn silence. Barbara felt somewhat humbled to have been the first - the very first - that Diana had ever shared her secret with. Now it was out. It was finally out. It was better this way.<br/>"W-wow..." gasped Hannah. "She just straight up said it, <em>publicly</em>." <br/>"Yeah... I'm really proud of her. I can't imagine how many people will be inspired by this..."<br/>"Screw that." Hannah was blunt as ever. "It's about her. It's good for her. We've been with Diana for almost all of our lives, and this secret took a toll on her, y'know?"<br/>Barbara was acutely aware of the burden that Diana had forced herself to carry. "So you're saying... that she's free?"<br/>"Yeah. She's unashamed of who she is. I'm proud of her too."<br/>Hannah retook her seat across from Barbara, who was putting her phone away and drumming her fingers across the table.<br/>"You ok, Barb?"<br/>Barbara hesitated, before letting out a deep sigh that lingered in the air for a few moments. "Yeah... I'm ok. I'm happy - really, I am..." Her expression indicated otherwise. Was it... stress?<br/>"Uh... Barb? You're worrying me..."<br/>Barbara could have deflected yet again, but her energy was depleted. "I... I'm jealous of her, you know?"<br/>Hannah could only roll her eyes at this. "Yeah, but I'm pretty sure everyone is jealous of Diana. For as much as we love her, she can be so... obnoxiously perfect."<br/>"That's... not what I mean."<br/>"Oh?"<br/>"It's her... confidence." She rubbed her face, and looked from Hannah down to her hands on the table. They were trembling. "It kinda pisses me off, you know?" She gave a bitter laugh. "I could never do what she did..."<br/>Hannah didn't have the patience for any angst on Barbara's part. There had been enough of that over the last few weeks. Acting strange around her, heightened stress, pauses in her speech; hell, she knew that she hadn't even touched her latest volume of Nightfall. Something was going on.<br/>"For God's sake, Barb. What is it that you need to say?" In reality, she already knew.<br/>"I... I-I'm..." she stuttered, struggling to form her words. "I'm..." <br/>"Hmm?"<br/>"I'm in love with you, Han... always have been."<br/><em>Oh</em>. She stood corrected - she hadn't already known. In fact, this was the opposite. <br/>"Uh... uhhhh... that's... certainly news." She wasn't quite sure how react, nevermind how to deliver a cogent response. <br/>Barbara broke eye-contact again, embarassed as she remembered what she had been told previously.<br/><em>Damnit. Sorry Amanda, I screwed this one up.</em><br/>The two sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, as the window latch rattled against the force of the harsh Autumn wind. <br/>Hannah knew that it was her job to break the silence, and as such, tried her very best. "So... um... how long has this been a thing?"<br/>Barbara looked up again, and sighed. "A long time, I guess. We've known each-other since we were kids, and I... just suppose that my feelings got the better of me. Like a selfish dumbass." <br/>Hannah needed to comfort her. "Hey... Barb," she whispered. "There's nothing selfish about having feelings. It's just how we are. Sure, I'm a bit freaked out. I mean, I knew you were bi, but I was sure you were about to admit that you've always had a crush on Lotte or something."<br/>That was also true, but she knew better than to say anything.<br/>"I suppose, Barbara... that I'm happy that you're being honest with me. I mean... I'm glad you said something before I did. At least I now know where we stand."<br/>"Before... you did...?"<br/>It was no use in Hannah denying anything at this stage. What needed to be said was currently in motion. "Yeah... I have my own confession. It's not as... significant as yours, but I've been questioning for a long time. I've always wondered if I liked girls, and whilst boys are great... I've always... felt like something was missing. Like I really... wanted something else."<br/>"That makes sense..." Barbara mumbled. "That's so you..."<br/>She laughed in response, before somberly continuing. "I just... damnit... you're my best friend, Barb. I'm scared of these... feelings. Because I don't understand them."<br/>"You mean...?"<br/>"I mean I don't know." She took an awkward sip. "I wanna be with you, Barbara. I want to be with you. But... I don't know what that means..." She threw her arms back. She couldn't have conceived of actually being in this situation - it had always served as a distant imagining, a fiction that she wasn't certain of how real she wished it to be. She still wasn't.<br/>"I'm sorry, Hannah..." <br/>"Don't be..." <br/>Hannah rose from her seat, and threw on her coat in preparation to face the cold - with Barbara following suit.<br/>"We should probably get at least some sleep. It's super early in the morning," resolved Hannah, leaving a tip on the owner's empty counter.<br/>"Yeah... you're right." Barbara hesitated yet again. "I... really am sorry for putting you on the spot. Truly."<br/>"You don't have to repeat yourself, Barb. Whatever happens, you're my best friend. We do everything together. That's never gonna stop. And we'll work this out. We'll work out these feelings. I'll... find out what I want... because..." She gripped the door handle and prepared to embrace the elements, "... well, we'll do that together, too." <br/>Barbara's heart rate was accelerating. Even in the uncertainty, she couldn't help it. She loved her more than ever. <br/><br/><em>The dream was fleeting, but it was easy for her to remember. It had sprung from a place of fear, but had eventually calmed to the point in which she could float peacefully in the vast nothingness. She had cried, and begged her mother to tell her if she was doing the right thing. Mother had refused. She had put her foot down this time. She would assure her that she was making the correct decision, but only if she could say it to herself first. </em><br/><em>"I am!" shouted the little girl, recognising her decision as her own, taking ownership over it. </em><br/><em>Mother smiled, and faded away as the child, now much older, allowed herself to rest. To just... rest. </em><br/>Awakening to the soft comfort of the sleeping Akko still cuddling her, Diana looked up to the ceiling, a nightime canvas for her imagination, and smiled as she reached out. Of course she had made the right choice. The hard part was over.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! There's not much to say this time, because I'm generally satisfied with how this one turned out. I just hope I was able to do Hannah and Barbara justice, who I have been hoping to build up for a while. Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Visitors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The girls prepare for their judgement.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CW: Nothing much, besides some relatively mild jokes about getting dressed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Waking up to the rays of sunlight shining under the curtains, Lotte found herself shivering as the covers and blankets had been pulled away from her as she slept. She angrily prodded Sucy, or at least the wooly cocoon that she had encased herself within.<br/>"Sucy! Wake up!" she demanded. <br/>The pale girl slowly opened her eyes, and appeared to study Lotte, an apathetic look on her face. "What?"<br/>"You promised that this wouldn't happen!"<br/>It took a moment for Sucy to become aware that she had been hogging the bed in her sleep, before becoming much more apologetic. "Oh... oh yeah... that is kind of bad..."<br/>"Why couldn't I have had the single one...?" complained Lotte as Constanze stretched in her bed, yawning. "Wouldn't it be more appropriate, anyway? Considering your..."<br/>Unwrapping herself, Sucy smiled and waved good-morning to Constanze, before turning back to Lotte. "Didn't we talk about this last night?"<br/>All that they could afford for the night was a medium-sized room with a double and single bed, likely intended for a family of three. Whilst it wasn't exactly what they were, it was close enough. Lotte and Sucy had agreed to leave their room to Akko and Diana for the night, in order for them to process their trauma and spend some time together, just the two of them. As a result, they had checked into a shabby Blytonbury hotel, which had naturally overcharged. Sucy was insistent that they were owed the student discount, but the clerk at the desk claimed that the offer had expired two years ago, not offering an explanation as to why it was still written in the registry. <br/>After a relatively quiet evening of playing videogames with Constanze, who had insisted in accompanying them, they had quickly fallen asleep. Lotte wasn't too thrilled about having to share a bed with Sucy, but reluctantly agreed due to Constanze's wishes.<br/>"Yeah... I guess we did..."<br/>Constanze and Sucy didn't have the sort of relationship that Lotte would often find in romance novels. But it would be a disservice to call it "complicated", a word which Constanze had bristled at when used by Sucy. There wasn't much that was complicated about it. The two were soulmates. That's all there was to it, really, and Constanze loathed the misconceptions. Not that she owed anyone an explanation. What they had was good. And it was no-one's business but their own. <br/>"Anyways," Sucy sighed, "I'm gonna go preserve my beauty. I trust you nerds to survive without me." <br/>Glancing towards a grinning Constanze, Lotte scratched her head in bewilderment. Who was this girl, anyway?<br/>As Sucy embarked to the bathroom, Lotte consulted her crystal ball on the bedside desk. It was swirling with a pretty mixture of cyan, peach, and magenta today, so something important and tailored to her interests must have come up.<br/>As she scrolled through her feed, Diana's article naturally stood out as much as her blonde-green hair did in a crowd, and upon reading it (between gasps), invited Constanze to come over. Not that she did. The engineer was sitting in bed, immersed in her tablet, the warm smile on her face telling Lotte all she needed to know about what she was reading. <br/>Lotte couldn't quite believe how brazen and straightforward Diana was regarding her former secret, but it warmed her heart to know that she finally had the confidence that she must have been searching for her entire life. Lotte's own social anxiety could empathise. Having been bullied as a child for being a witch, and mocked in her adolescence for being on the spectrum, she understood the cruelty of the world and the debilitating judgements of others uncomfortably well.<br/>Yanking her out of her trip down memory lane, Sucy re-entered, chewing a toothbrush. "What's going on?" she grunted before pulling it out. <br/>Constanze showed her tablet to Sucy, who took it with one hand, before shrugging. "Huh. Good for her." She handed it back to her girlfriend. "I gotta finish," she informed them nonchalantly as she left again, swinging the bathroom door shut behind her. <br/>"Yeah, that's Sucy, I guess..." muttered Lotte, noticing the smirk on Constanze's face. That was the Sucy that Constanze loved. Lotte couldn't blame her. "How did you guys end up like this anyway? I never really found out."<br/>The Stanbot on Constanze's bedside table that she must have intended for use as an alarm clock sprung into action. "All information pertaining to the origins and nature of the relationship between Miss Constanze and Miss Manbavaran is strictly classified," it buzzed. <br/>That was... rude. <br/>Sighing, Constanze made a few inputs to her tablet which seemed to power down the Stanbot, before getting out of bed. She quickly typed some more, and wandered over to Lotte, gently handing over the device. <br/>The screen showed her digital notepad function, and there wasn't particularly much text.<br/>'<em>I'm a little embarassed that after reading Diana's essay-length coming-out post, I have comparatively little to say. I love Sucy. It just... happened. All of the pieces just happened to fall into place. Nothing big. Nothing earth-shattering. We're just comfortable around each-other. Do you understand?</em>'<br/>Lotte nodded and handed back the tablet. "I'm... sorry for prying," she hastily apologised. <br/>Constanze smiled and shook her head as if to tell her not to worry about it. She had smiled more this morning than in all of the previously accumulated time that she had spent with her over the years. If this was Sucy's influence, then Lotte couldn't have been happier with her. Everyone seemed to be coming out of their shells as of late.<br/>Before Lotte could continue her thought process, the bathroom door swung open again, and Sucy strode back in, looking awfully pleased with herself. At least the toothbrush was missing this time.<br/>"Ok, someone else's turn now," she remarked. "You better get ready. It's a big day for us."<br/>Lotte scratched her head. "Uh..." Had she forgotten something?<br/>Constanze hid her head in her hands, as if to indicate that Lotte definitely had. <br/><em>Oh no... I have, haven't I?</em><br/>"You forgot, didn't you...?" Sucy groaned, yawning. <br/>"Wha-what did I forget?!" panicked Lotte.<br/>"Oh, nothing much. Just that in a few hours we're meeting up for the preparation stages. We've been given the main hall. The governors are making their decision."<br/>"Oh no, that's today...?" squeaked Lotte, before making a dash for the bathroom.<br/>Sucy became mildly concerned. <br/>"She'll be alright," pitched in the reawakened Stanbot, as Constanze gave her a thumbs up.<br/><br/>Scrubbing her teeth with enough force for dark pink to become mixed in with the white paste, Diana stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. What was painted this morning wasn't exactly a flattering picture, but she knew that it was best to ignore the feelings that it would instill. Still, the bags under her eyes were visible enough evidence of the relatively little sleep she had managed to get. With Sucy's drug wearing off, Akko had been able to rest like a baby overnight. A baby that clinged to her, at that. The hours of busting out an essay in one-shot had resulted in strange dreams whilst falling in and out of sleep - at least three separate that she could recall in her overall three or four hours.<br/>Diana sighed, and brushed her short hair. It was much easier to deal with since her big cut, she reflected, forcing her natural curls aside in as orderly and straight a manner as possible, since it was an important day, and formalities would help their case. Not that anyone else would get the memo. She was surprised that her back hadn't given out under the force of the reputation she had to carry.<br/><em>Constantly being in the spotlight sure is fun</em>...<br/>"Hey, Diana!" came her girlfriend's voice from outside. "Are you done yet?"<br/>"Just a moment!"<br/><em>Damnit.</em> <br/>She retrieved the small capsule of pills that lay beside the sink and took out a couple of tiny blue tablets. Checking in the mirror and placing them under her tongue, she strode out of the bathroom.<br/>Akko, still in her pyjamas, was sat on the bottom bunk, hugging her four-foot tall Alcor. "Sorry for rushing you. I gotta look my best this morning!" Her smile was once again as contagious as ever.<br/>"Hmm!" nodded Diana in affirmation, as Akko made her way to the bathroom.<br/>She sat in Akko's place and rested her cheek against the soft, cool plush of the Alcor, alleviating some of the anxiety. She had brought it, after all, and Akko hardly minded; but she found herself somewhat hollow in the absense of her teddy bear, waiting back in her dorm room. Mother had stitched together Gwen herself for Diana's first Birthday. Apparently she had laughed ceaselessly as she cuddled it all day. Imagining what she must have been like as a baby again never failed to bring a smile to her face, despite the baggage that such thoughts inevitably carried with them.<br/>Why was she thinking about this?<br/>It didn't matter. Today was important, and she would be lying if she were to say that her nerves were completely calm. She had deliberately muted anything regarding her article, knowing that looking at the feedback could be potentially damaging to her mental health. She was certain that she had done the right thing, but a part of her still feared the negative consequences that could arise from it. All it took was one negative comment from some anonymous user and...<br/><em>Breathe. Diana. Just... breathe...</em><br/>Yes... it didn't matter. She had done the right thing. If something unfortunate were to happen as a result, then she would simply face it head-on, as always. After all, the previous day's confrontation had reminded her that putting off the inevitable wouldn't get them anywhere. She just had to do it. She just had to face it. <em>Keep on moving. Keep on living. </em><br/>No-longer feeling the presence of the tablets under her tongue, Diana placed Alcor back onto Akko's pillow, straightening it to make sure that he didn't tumble off, and slipped on the blue vest over her shirt, buttoning it up. She took a short trip to the wardrobe and laid out Akko's uniform on her bed in order to save some time, smoothing out the creases, naturally, before said girlfriend wandered back in. <br/>"We should hurry up," explained Diana. "They'll likely want us to arrive early. You know how these things are."<br/>"Yeah, I know," sighed Akko, before her mood lit up once again upon returning to her bed. "Wow, thanks, Diana! You're a life-saver!" <br/>"Don't mention it!" she smiled, "I'll leave you to change." She turned and stood facing the corner, her limbs stiff, except for her fingers, fiddling with the utility chain hanging from the side of her trousers.<br/>This again? Akko still couldn't understand some of Diana's habits.<br/>"You know... you don't have keep looking away. We're girlfriends, after all!"<br/>"I know... but..." She held the chain tightly in her trembling hand. "... I just don't want to be perceived as... indecent." <br/>Akko laughed out loud. "Diana, you're so funny!"<br/>Rolling her eyes, Diana let go of the chain, and turned back to Akko, who was thankfully dressed. She let out a sigh of relief. "Sorry... I can get... flustered."<br/>"I noticed." Akko noticed their difference in legwear, and saw fit to mess with her a little. "Say, Diana... how do you think I'd look in pants?"<br/>Diana's face turned red as she took a step back in horror. "You're not wearing any pants?!"<br/><em>Got her</em>, Akko silently chuckled. <br/>"No, of course not! Can't you see?" She indicated her skirt.<br/>"... oh." Diana understood, and smiled a little herself. "Curse this island." <br/>"Would you prefer if we spoke Japanese?" she asked smugly, tilting her head.<br/>"We can switch to it right now if you would like?" Diana agreed, more confidently than she had expected.<br/>"Nah. It's more fun messing with Brits. 'Trousers'. You guys can be so pretentious!" <br/>"That is true!" she admitted with a consistent smile. "But there's one crucial detail that you forget."<br/>"Oh?" <br/>"I'm not British, Akko. I'm trans." <br/>Standing, Akko took Diana's soft hands into her own, and drew closer.<br/>"I love you so much..." she laughed. "Don't ever change."<br/>Once again resisting the urge to correct Akko regarding her disliking of certain idioms and her strong philosophy on what it means to change, Diana bit the bullet, and spoke purely from the heart. The warmth exuded from Akko's touch always had a habit of making her more easygoing. "You too... you too, Akko. I love you, I love you." <br/>"Maybe it would be cool if I showed up to class in... 'trousers' someday?" she mused. "You totally rock the look!" <br/>"Well, you can! There's no school rule against it anymore!"<br/>As ever for the added conveniences over the past few years, Diana found herself silently thanking Croix. That woman's G-ENG, as she had taken to unironically calling it, was enough to power several NASA supercomputers and perhaps an international space station.<br/>"Maybe I'll try it soon! But we should probably be off now. Stuff to do, y'know?"<br/>"Yes... stuff to do." <br/>Akko released one hand and dragged her girlfriend along to the door.<br/>"Wait, I didn't think right now!" struggled Diana, stumbling after her.<br/>"I did!" Akko proclaimed, trying to hold back laughter, placing her free hand on the latch.<br/>Somehow, it was still difficult for Diana to ever truly be annoyed with her. She was, of course, adamant that change was good. At least, it had served both of them well.<br/><br/>The Assembly hall had been shut off to students until the meeting's beginning, leaving Holbrooke leaning on the podium from atop her stool, unable to resist the urge to rest her head. It had been a long night of paperwork. <br/>The front doors crashed open nonetheless, the troublemakers arriving. The usual... three of them?<br/>Accompanying Professors Ursula and Croix, Amanda O'Neill hobbled in, bandages wrapped around her foot and leaning on a crutch. <br/>"And what are <em>you</em> doing here, Miss O'Neill? Only teachers are permitted entrance at this time."<br/>"Ah, geez..." grumbled Amanda.<br/>Ursula spoke up. "Amanda here asked if she could arrive half an hour early or so. She didn't want to be caught up in any morning crowds."<br/>"I suppose I'll allow it," Miranda conceded. Still... since when was O'Neill concerned about being on time for anything? This event must have really meant something to people. <br/>Her eye caught Professor Croix, out of her usual attire and sporting her more formal taupe sweater. It wasn't quite the uniform, but it was a more appropriate outfit for the occasion than her supervillain gear, so Holbrooke supposed that it was at least a point in her favour. <br/>"Regardless, today you have to impress the governors. What's your current head-count?"<br/>"Ok, let's take a look, shall we?" began Croix, taking out her wand and casting a projection of their database before them, the glowing green outline and scrolling text reminding Amanda of lessons, and therefore lost her attention. <br/>"We have the obvious participants," observed Ursula. "Myself and Croix as primary organisers, and as you would expect, the names Kagari, Cavendish, Jansson, Manbavaran, O'Neill, Albrechtsberger, and Antonenko are all recorded as definite shows."<br/>"So that's nine of you? Has there been an effort to increase your numbers?"<br/>"Yes," Croix took over, scrolling further. "Thankfully, we have the unions on our side. Reports from Akko paint a promising picture of Tauro and some of the other workers volunteering to help." <br/>"Good. What else?"<br/>Amanda pulled a face throught this back and forth. Why did something like this need an administrative process that had them talking like... robots? How difficult did this have to be?<br/>"Well, um..." Ursula nervously chimed in, seeming embarassed. "We... only have a 'maybe' category after that." <br/>Holbrooke was seconds away from banging her head repeatedly against the podium. "Professors..." <br/>The nervous look that the couple quickly exchanged reminded Amanda of herself and her siblings whenever they were about to be scolded by their mom and dad. <br/><em>We're doomed. Again.</em><br/>"You had one job," sighed the exasperated headmistress. "I am aware of your struggle, and I want this to go ahead of course, but with these insufficient numbers, it makes my job of mediating with the governors much more difficult." <br/>Amanda spoke up. "Well, I'm sure there are plenty in the 'maybe' category. Should we take a look?"<br/>"Good idea," affirmed Croix, a look of melancholy having come over her. To Amanda, she looked sadder than she had after saying goodbye to them all that time ago.<br/>Another database came up.<br/>"Huh... is the magic buffering...?" wondered Croix aloud as nothing seemed to load, checking her wand's battery. "No... it should be fine..."<br/>The database was empty. Completely and utterly empty. <br/>"W-we had people before..." Ursula stuttered in a panic. "Why aren't they there anymore?!"<br/><em>Damnit</em>. Amanda figured that Barbara and the others had bailed on them, which wasn't exactly reassuring news for the circumstances. <br/>"Well..." said Holbrooke regretfully, "perhaps we should just sweep this under the rug, so to say..." She stepped down from the podium and joined the others. "We may as well ease the blow. These governors can be unkind, and will probably be gloating about this. They've been after my letter of resignation for years. The only reason I never retired is because Anne was after my job, and that would be a disaster for this academy. This might be the final straw for... oh?"<br/>The younger women weren't paying attention to her at all, and instead had their eyes fixed on the projection. Miranda added her own to the observation. It had changed back to the 'involvement' database, the list suddenly refreshing.<br/>The text continued to scroll and demonstrated no sign of stopping.<br/><br/>Having passed through the Leyline, Sucy holstered her traditional Filipino broom, outfitted with a strap to easily go over her shoulder, and waited for the others to reach the exit. <br/>Within no time at all, Constanze emerged from the portal on her mechanical broom, followed by Lotte, her's... completely ordinary, dusty and worn.<br/>"Lotte, you need to retire that broom," she said. "It's slowing you down and probably needs rest of it's own, if you believe in that sort of thing."<br/>"I know..." admitted Lotte. "It's just... it's still my first and only broom. When I was little, my mom gave it to me for my seventh birthday and... it was a comfort to me." <br/>Years ago, Sucy wouldn't have been able to resist a cruel remark, but after growing up a little, she had to admit that it was somewhat sweet with how connected to her past and family Lotte was. She supposed that made for at least one of them.<br/>Nothing needed to be spoken, with Sucy placing a hand onto Lotte's shoulder and smiling.<br/>Continuing in silence, as was Constanze's prerogative, the trio approached the academy's side entrance, as was traditional for entering and leaving the premises for students on village trips. But something seemed... off. Faint murmurs of a conversation could be traced from behind a pillar.<br/>Constanze, ever cautious, held Stanbot close, in case she ended up needing to use a weapon, and slowly approached the pillar, signalling Lotte and Sucy to hold back.<br/>The conversation seemed to stop, and an adult man in traditional Wizard's garb walked out from behind, making his way into the building without so much as acknowledging the girls.<br/>Insulted, Sucy stepped forward and shouted out to the man. "Hey, what gives?!" Unfortunately for them, he was already too far away.<br/>"I wouldn't much bother with Donovan," came a second voice as it's owner revealed herself. "He doesn't talk much. It makes him useful."<br/>"Hey... I remember you!" Lotte called out in surprise. "You're with the Interior Ministry!"<br/>Indeed, she was. The stern grey-haired elderly woman that revealed herself to them was none other than Minister Dorlin. <br/>"Yes," she said curtly. "I'm here on ministry business. I understand that your Professor Finnelan isn't present at the current moment?" <br/>"No," Sucy responded, somewhat smugly. "From what <em>I</em> understand, she got herself in hot water. Courtesy of Diana Cavendish."<br/>"Sucy..." interjected Lotte. "Don't be rude to the minister!" <br/>Dorlin gave a bitter laugh. "It's hardly the rudest thing I've ever heard. From what I understand, <em>Miss Manbavaran</em>, she engaged in unlawful and endangering activity. Her suspension is justified."<br/>"Yeah..." muttered Sucy. "She hurt my friends." <br/>"Uh... anyway, M-Minister..." Lotte addressed, "What... uh... business are you here on?" Then she remembered the ministerial code. "Uh, if it's not confidential, of course!" she added.<br/>"No, it's not confidential. I'm here to accompany the governors in passing judgement on the legitimacy of the... activities planned for Luna Nova. The governors will be judging the morality of the process..."<br/>Sucy knew when to bite her tongue, but still... <em>Morality</em>? Of what?!<br/>"... and it's my job to keep a close eye on Croix Meridies. For reasons that should be obvious, of course." <br/><em>Oh</em>. If the three of them recalled correctly, it had been Dorlin that had arrived the first time after Croix gave herself up to the authorities. <br/>Sucy spoke up. "So, what are you? Her handler?"<br/>"I suppose you could say that. Du Nord has to report to us with weekly assessments on her behaviour, but I'm here to see to matters personally this time. Your little event has been making waves."<br/>"Damn right!" blurted Constanze, breaking her silence. <br/>"Oh? Miss Albrechtsberger? Do you have something to say that will edify the conversation?"<br/>Constanze kept her mouth shut, shifting awkwardly. <br/>"Didn't think so... goodbye, girls." And with that, Dorlin was off.<br/>The three remained in silence until the minister was out of sight, and then turned back to each-other, Lotte's face a mixture of confusion and concern, whereas Constanze and Sucy seemed very much irritated. <br/>"Great... another pain in my ass..." muttered Sucy, genuinely bitter.<br/>"Wait..." Lotte remembered a detail that had caught her attention. "How did she know your names? The two of you?" <br/>"Oh yeah," recalled Sucy in as casual a manner as she could manage. "The ministry has open files on us both. Conz for daring to build things out of their jurisdiction, and for me, well, uhh..."<br/>Yes. Lotte could imagine.<br/><br/>"You do think I look professional, right, Akko?" asked Diana for the third time as she and Akko made their way through the strangely empty corridors. "I didn't overdo it?"<br/>"Yes, Diana. You look amazing," sighed an exasperated Akko, for the sixth.<br/>"I don't want to look 'amazing', Akko. I want to look professional."<br/>Akko groaned as Diana laughed to herself. They had been teasing each-other more often as of late - truly the sign of a maturing relationship. Apparently. <br/>"In all seriousness, thank you Akko. You look wonderful too."<br/>"But I'm dressed normally."<br/>Diana smiled at her. <br/>"Ohh..." Akko resented how slow she could still be sometimes, but appreciated the compliment. <br/>Akko was a little upset that not many people seemed to be joining their event, remembering how packed Chariot shows used to be and knowing that there could be no comparison, but was at least glad for the silver lining of it being easier on Diana, and her friends like Constanze and Lotte. Tight spaces and loud noises were all well and good for an aspiring performer and lover of people like Akko, but she knew that it wasn't everyone's forte. That was ok. <br/>"Are you ready, Akko?" Diana asked as they approached the grand double doors.<br/>"Yeah... I think so. It's going to be difficult though, isn't it?"<br/>Diana pressed her hands against the left side. "I know. But we can do this." <br/>Akko took the right. "Together?"<br/>"Always."<br/>The girls pushed open the heavy doors, exerting all of their upper-body strength, before standing in amazement at the sight that they saw.<br/>Dozens and dozens of students, gathered in the Assembly hall, chatting away and generally looking happy to be there.<br/>"Wha-what...?" Diana gasped. "How...?"<br/>As the two nervously shuffled in, they were immediately spotted by a group of students positioned in the middle of the hall. Akko recognised two of them, as Avery and Sarah.<br/>"Diana!" cried Avery, overjoyed and rushing towards her, leading the rest of the group to effectively surround them, attracting even more students.<br/>"Hey!" yelled Akko as the tried to put herself between Diana and the crowd. "Diana gets claustrophobic! Back off a little!"<br/>"N-no..." Diana spoke up, "It's ok..." She scanned the crowd, a little overwhelmed by the sea of adoring faces. "Just... one at a time, ok?"<br/>"We read your piece," pitched in Sarah. "It went viral - and it was so... moving!"<br/>"You've given a lot of people the courage to come out, Diana," explained Avery. "I finally told my parents that I'm gay. They took it well!" <br/>Some echoes of "yeah, me too!" could be heard from the myriad of students than had joined them.<br/>The doors opened behind them again, and in waltzed Sucy, pulling Constanze with her as Lotte plodded behind them, as exhausted as ever.<br/>"Hey, guys! What did we... miss...?" Sucy trailed off in shock. "Ah." <br/>"Yeah, it's... a lot of people," agreed Akko, intimidated herself to a degree.<br/>"Wait up!" came Hannah's voice as she and Barbara ran in close behind Lotte, followed shortly by Jasminka. Everyone was converging on this one location. <br/>"Were you really all swayed by some piece of writing?" asked Diana, in total disbelief. <br/>"Well, sort of," Sarah explained. "A lot of us wanted to come before, but the pressure from Finnelan and fear of the higher ups made us nervous and hesitant, but we were sort of galvanised by your words, I guess. A lot of us are different shades of queer. A lot of us also aren't, but we still all want to be here, to help out."<br/>Diana at a loss for words, but Akko, as usual, wasn't. <br/>"You guys..." She was already sobbing. "This is so sweet..."<br/>Another student, short and bespectacled, waded through the crowd, her hands stuffed in her pockets due to touch sensitivity, but as soon as she emerged, she walked towards Diana and threw her arms around her.<br/>"G-Gaëlle?!" stuttered Diana.<br/>"Thank you... Diana..." she whispered, her voice trembling as if she were about to burst into tears. "More... than you could know."<br/>"Uh... ok?" Diana was more confused than anything.<br/>Constanze smiled on the sidelines, happy to see her old middle-school friend from back in Germany find the confidence to open up.<br/>Across the hall, Amanda stood with the teachers, having been joined by the News Team. Joanna was already taking pictures, and Kimberly was already frantically writing everything down.<br/>"This is good, isn't it?" Wangari asked Amanda and Ursula.<br/>"Yeah. We sure did get a lot of people," Amanda responded. "The governors have no choice but to approve us now."<br/>"I'm still worried about certain factors..." murmured Ursula, keeping her eyes on Croix, having been taken aside and in what seemed to be a heated conversation with Minister Dorlin.<br/>"Hey, it's gonna be ok," assured Amanda. "We're doing this, and damn anyone who tries to stop us. Besides, we still have some more people showing up. I just got off the phone with them."<br/>"Really?" leaned in Wangari. "Who?"<br/>Interrupting their conversation, Croix returned to deliver the news.<br/>"Good news, everyone. We're squeaky clean. Those assholes at the ministry have no excuse to stop us."<br/>"And the bad news?" asked Ursula.<br/>"The bad news is that Dorlin is staying. She wants to see to it that everything goes..." She put her fingers up to mockingly indicate air quotes, "...smoothly."<br/>"Damnit," growled Amanda, glaring at Dorlin from across the room, who was in talks with her other ministry associates, as well as some other figures that she presumed to be the governors. <br/>"Hey Kim," Wangari turned to her new girlfriend. "Can you write this stuff down? We might need to do an exposeè if it comes to it."<br/>"Already way ahead of you..." grinned Kimberly, showing off her notes.<br/>"Thats good. Thank you, Kim," she turned back to Amanda. "So... that thing we were talking about..."<br/>Interrupting them yet again, the double doors opened, and the entire room went silent, aside from some gasps within the crowd, all turning to their visitors. <br/>Three sharply dressed young men made their way into the hall, and unsurprisingly, Akko was the first to break the silence.<br/>"A-a-a... Andrew?!"<br/>"That's right," he said confidently, looking over to Amanda and giving her the thumbs up. "We're here to accept your invitation."<br/>Amanda approached him, making sure to keep the balance with her crutch, and shook his hand enthusiastically. "I've been waiting for your ass to show up," she smirked. "How's Louis treating you?"<br/>"I'm right here, you know!" the second man, Louis Blackwell, barged in. "And it's going just fine!" <br/>The third, Frank, spotted the News Team and immediately waved to them, before heading over.<br/>Diana and Akko approached Andrew, the latter of the couple still in shock. "I was wondering if you were going to make an appearence. Welcome."<br/>"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Andrew responded. "We're here to offer our support to the cause." <br/>"Excellent. I see Blackwell left his prejudices at the door?"<br/>"They are long gone, Miss Cavendish - I am here in good faith," asserted Louis, with his usual aristocratic pomposity. "And because Andrew wanted me to be..."<br/>"That's good." Diana shot a quick glance to Frank, already chatting with the News Team. "What about him?"<br/>"Oh yeah," remembered Amanda, smiling as Frank and the photographer embraced. "That's Joanna's boyfriend."</p>
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